Say My Name
by Blackjade23
Summary: Rick is out exploring the universe for the first time and happens upon a dive bar with an amazing singer. He gets entranced and a casual flirt turns into the start of something that will change him forever. But this story is not about him... It's about a unique woman named Tess. It's her story as she tumbles through her life meeting new people with old faces.
1. chapter 1

Chapter 1

 **The Fire**

Alternate dimension that takes place right after Rick leaves Earth. He is around 17 years of age and exploring the new galaxy. He has not invented his portal gun yet. This is his first stop as he meets a young singer who will change the course of his life. D-409

The house lights dim as the bass drum kicks in. A snare picks up the basic beat as rhythmic and bass guitars join with the swaying melody. Your heart is thumping in time as you slowly move to the mic stand. A soft, warm light shines on you as your voice starts its slow decent into a melody of words that soar through the indoor venue. As you sing on, you scan the patrons, amazed by the variety of species and couples. The melody starts to slow as the music turns more sensuous. You close your eyes and move to the beat, slowly twisting your hips and allowing your hands to move along the frame of your small body. When the lyrics return your eyes open to sing the next refrain and lock eyes with a young man in the audience. He looks so much like your race but you know that can't be true. You are the last of your kind, yet you can't help but continue to watch him. Your voice and movements become heavily influenced by his gaze, his thin lips with the tongue moistening them, his pale skin as he draws his long fingers through the blue tinged hair that sticks out from his head. His eyes follow your hands and the air becomes heavy with the heat of the lights, the audience and the crescendo of the song.

The house lights go out. The song is over. You stand for a second to collect your thoughts and slow your breathing. That young man… You can still feel his gaze on you as you turn to leave the stage with the band. Backstage is a hectic mess of bodies moving around stage props, instruments and fans. Still giddy from the music and that blue hair, you pass by everyone and retreat out the back door of the building to get some fresh air. You wish you could go back on stage. You can still feel his presence with you, almost as if those were his hands caressing and not your own. A crash nearby brings you back to reality as the staff were busy throwing away empty alcohol bottles. You laugh nervously to yourself and open the backdoor to walk back inside. As you turn towards the doorway, you run right into someone on their way out. Bottles hit the concrete and shatter followed by a soft curse.

"Fuck. Sorry. My bad. Thought you might want a beer."

"What?" You raise your eyes from the bits of broken green glass and see his face. Your breath catches as that slim hand raises yet again to try and tame that blue hair. His eyes nervously scan the area seeming to avoid meeting yours.

"I brought two beers. Brought. Sorry." he replies moving outside of the room as staff members move out the door to dispose more trash into the receptacles.

"Oh. Thanks for the thought. I don't drink if I'm going to be singing again though…" you smile softly and he raises his eyes to look directly at you. Those eyes. The intensity alone draws you in. So opposite of the nervous young man standing before you. You scan his face, his smile, his thin lips moving… and realize he's been talking to you. You try to pick up what he is saying but the nervous tone and mannerisms get drowned out by those eyes.

"My name is Rick, by the way. I'm new here. Well, new to all of here." his hands expand to the sky and downward. "Space travel and all. Didn't expect to run into a human though."

"Oh! I'm not human. Didn't even know there were humans around here." you reply fast not really knowing what species he was talking about.

"No. I'm probably the only one right now. It… it doesn't matter. I just… um… thought I could chat with you?" Again with the blue hair. You wonder how it feels to move your own hand through it.

"Come on." you grab his arm and pull him out of the doorway and into the street. "I really didn't feel like singing again."

Rick smiles sheepishly as he follows where you lead him. Past closed doors, trash on the streets, vehicles run down and the misty haze that fills the night air. Wordlessly you lead him into a building and to the stairway. Flights of stairs lead to another door and an open rooftop that you would often visit after performing. The air is crisp up here and lights from buildings shine through the dark from below. Above, the stars and ship lights twinkle. You are high enough that the sounds below become muted. Rick walks ahead of you to stop at the edge observing everything.

"Wow…" is his only reply.

"Yeah. I go here to cool off. Remind myself that my problems are small." Rick turns to face you after your thought.

"What problems does a beautiful girl like you have?"

"Ugh. That was cheesy. Bad pick up line man." you wink at him as you both start to laugh.

"Yeah. That… that was horrible. What I meant was, what kind of problems would someone like you have?" he gave you a lopsided grin and turned to stare out at the city.

"A lot actually. Anyway, this is the best view of the city and surrounding area. A lot of people from all over the galaxy come here for rest, relaxation and… other things. I've lived here for five years."

"Family?"

"No. Just me. Can't get close to anyone. I mean I have trouble getting close to people." you nervously stammer out. You want to tell him everything. You want him to understand how rare this is for you. That you have never wanted to be alone with anyone before. That the heat inside you is pulling you closer and you fear the warnings. Don't get close. Never touch.

"You seem open enough to me." he looks over to you as you stare at the stars above. You are thinking of other things as your mind turns bleak. A sigh escapes as you realize that the two of you need to return, the fire withering.

"We… should… go." you say slowly. Rick places his hands in his pockets as he looks towards you with his eyes half closed. Everything about this guy pulls you towards him. His actions and how he seems to be hiding something or convincing himself of something. You realize that you are gazing into those eyes. You remember why you wanted him up here. To feel the fire you saw in those eyes during your performance, to feel what his hands would do if given the chance. The fire expands as you walk up closer to him, stopping merely an inch away but still not touching. You have never been this close to someone. Your head is spinning.

Rick looks back at you and makes sure not to move his body closer. He seems to be waiting for something, maybe you. A wind blows from the east, trailing strands of your hair across your face as you close your eyes and face the wind. Rick's slim fingers brush against your cheek to pull the strands back behind your ear. His finger trails down your jaw as your breath quickens. A trail of fire follows his touch as you close your eyes. You feel Rick start to move in closer and you take a step back still breathless from just a touch.

"I'm Tess." you say quietly. Somehow this makes things feel better. Less rushed. More real.

"Heya Tess." Rick chuckles as his smile finally reaches his eyes. Again he steps in closer as you lower your eyes to prepare for the fire. Your bodies touch and the heat from his chest surrounds you. You decide to stop listening to your brain.

Rick cradles your face and pulls you into a kiss. Soft warm lips slightly brush against yours as you lift up onto your toes to press harder. Rick walks backward with you still in his arms until your back rests against the stairwell wall. With his body pressed along the length of yours, his mouth parts allowing a quick flick of his tongue to test your lips. Feeling the rush of heat spreading, you grab the back of his neck and open your mouth to a whole new level of exploration. A deep moan escapes from Rick as his hands move to your waist and slowly starts to raise up your shirt.

Rick leaves your lips to kiss down your neck, sucking at the skin while his warm hands move to enclose around your rib cage. You take this moment to run your hands through his impossible blue hair and smile knowing it felt as soft as you imagined. A slight pinch at the neck brings you back as Rick chuckles, playfully biting. He meets your eyes as his body slowly lowers before you. Your heart starts to pound and you catch your breath at the sight before you. Wild, dangerous eyes meet yours as strong hands lift up your shirt. You help by fully removing the top and send it flying. The wind pricks at your skin causing goose flesh to spread. Rick caresses your stomach laying gentle kisses along several spots. Each kiss creates more fire, each fingertip spreading it like paint. You want more… need more.

Those wild eyes meet yours again as his teeth sink into the leather belt of your pants, tugging. You bite your lip and nod. A wild smile spreads on Rick's face as he uses teeth, tongue and lips to undo the leather, unbutton the pants and unzip. Hands trail up and slid under your bra, lifting the material over your breasts. You quickly send it flying as the crisp air tightens your nipples. His fingers run across the sensitive mounds as a gasp escapes your lips.

Rick abandons his post in front of you to rise up along your body, running his tongue in a slick line to finally rest the whole of his mouth on top of one breast then the other. Your head swims with these new sensations as his hand slides down your stomach to play along the outside of your underwear. You inhale sharply and Rick brings his lips back to yours exploring more. A leg raises to wrap around his thin frame encouraging more. Rick groans and lifts your other leg up and around him until he is supporting your weight against the wall. You can feel the length of him press hard against you. You start to moves your hips as he kisses you, swaying to the beat you remembered from moments ago.

The heat builds as images flood your mind; color details and endless possibilities. You break away from his mouth and start pulling his tank upwards. You growl noticing that your body is keeping it in place. Rick smiles and loosens his grip on your bottom to help yank the top off. Skin on skin contact send your head into a spin as the fire threatens to engulf you. Your hand grips his face, feeling the slight stubble forming as you bring back those lips and tongue. Rick continues the kiss as he lifts you up and away from the wall to gently lower you to the rooftop. The coldness bites back against the warmth of him as he crouches in front of you. No longer waiting for permission, Rick pulls off your pants staring at your underwear clad form on his knees. Those slender fingers make quick work of his own dark pants, tearing away at the belt and discarding them, standing fully naked. Your eyes trace his lanky frame; the hints of muscle around his navel and the light blue hair that leads downward.

"Tell me you're sure Tess." came a breathless voice. He was watching your eyes, the rise and fall of your chest, but kept his distance.

"Gods yes Rick" was all you could get out before he lowered on top of you, hands fully exploring your body, lips sucking and biting at your flesh as he whispered how good you tasted.

Curiosity overcame you as a hand trailed down the chest to follow the line of blue and encompass his member. Rick moaned out a curse, exhaling as he started to move his hips, thrusting towards you. He felt amazingly hot in your grasp and you knew you had to have him. You let go and open up your legs to wrap around him again. Rick focuses down below and rubs against you, causing both to remember that last piece of clothing. Rick slides down between your legs grabbing your ass from under the cloth and drags the grey fabric downward. One leg lowers over his shoulder to pull free. Once your foot clears the elastic, Rick shoves your leg to the side lowering his head to kiss the inside of your leg leading downward. His hands move to spread you further as his tongue darts against the top sending a shock of pleasure coursing through you. Breathless moans escape in time to his unique rhythm as you close your eyes to focus on the sensations. You can hear his own moans echo yours before he breaks the beat and climbs up to slowly rub against the tender flesh with his own heat.

Gently Rick pushes against you, your arousal helping to create a slick entrance. It's so tight that you worry about possible pain when he finally pushes in. Your eyes squint as you try not to focus on it when Rick sees your face.

"Shit." Rick pants, "Have… have you done this before? Please… let me know. Fast, slow, I… I… I'm here babe." His eyes turn soft as he slowly kisses you, allowing his tongue to explore. Rick eases up on pushing in and allows for more time to rub along the outside walls.

"Never… before… wanted…" you let out in gasps as he rubs faster, his hands playing with your breasts. "Please… you… I want… you!" You say at last as you dig nails into his back upon the first thrust inside. Once within, you both let out a breath as he slowly pushes in to his entirety. The warmth spreads inside with his slow thrusting. He's being careful but another side of you wants nothing to do with that. You want the build, the rhythm strong, the heat to spread, the colors to swirl. You know he feels it too. You can feel his need like a tangible creature inside your own head; swirling, wanting out.

"Harder…" you gasp into the night air. A low growl is the only verbal as Rick pulls his length out to the tip and then slams back in. Stars explode as the faint tingles move through your legs and out to your toes. Your hands grip tighter pulling him against you, encouraging the increase in tempo. Your bodies rock in time, breath quickening, beads of sweat starting to form. You keep your hands at the back of his neck, running fingers through the back of his hair. Rick, panting, looks up to you again.

"Let… let me know… when you're close babe…" he speeds up his tempo pushing harder as you feel your core tightening. His hand grabs one breast pulling it to his lips as he sucks hard. Teeth apply pressure and you start to moan begging for more. You want more of everything. Every sensation, every ounce of heat that is spreading between two bodies becoming one. That heat swells as the music reaches its own crescendo and you scream out in pleasure as the tingle spreads into a crashing torrent swirling around to exit out along fingertips and toes. Rick notices the pulsating below and speeds up his thrusting yelling as he slams into you a couple more times before shoving his entire length within you. Small convulsions rock against you, each one slowing in pace. His body goes limp on top of yours, both hearts pounding. You pull back blue strands stuck to the side of his face with sweat and trace along his jawline.

"Fuck." Rick sighs as his body fully relaxes.

"Yeah… fuck." you reply back. Rick chuckles as he rolls onto his back, pulling you against him. You lay your head on his chest not really sure what should happen next. You close your eyes and feel at peace for once. Emotions swirl around you, one distinctively male while the other is yours. Peace, contentment, and familiarity twist back and forth between both and the fire in your chest is echoed within his. Laying still, staring up at the stars, you wonder why you were never allowed physical contact. So much for that, you chuckle to yourself.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

 **The Ice**

Modern Day

The sky was clear and the sun was busy melting away the leftover snow from winter. Spring was in full bloom and it was greatly messing with Morty's allergies. He stood in the garage with the door wide open, hoping to get some warmth in the uninsulated area. His eyes were red as he sneezed loudly.

"Fuck Morty! What… what are you tryUURPing to do here? I almost fucked it uUURPp!" Rick yelled back at him from his workbench. He was already pissed that Morty opened the door, the sun almost blinding him from his delicate work.

"Geez Rick," Morty whined back, "it's not like I can… can control a sneeze. They just come, you know?"

"So do other things MoUURPrty but with practice you… you can control all sorts of thUURPings from coming." Rick replied with an evil chuckle, his mind already in the gutter. Rick pulled out his flask and let the whiskey roll down his throat and breathed out enjoying the particular smokiness of this one.

"What are you working on anyway?" Morty walks over to Rick's workbench peering over his Grandpa's shoulder to try and see. Not that it would have make much sense to him… not much of what Rick did made sense to anyone but himself. Morty was able to see what looked like a cheap plastic Frisbee with a battery and wires.

"Is that a… Frisbee?"

"YeUURPah dumbass. That's what… that's what a genius works on. A fucking Frisbee." Rick barked back without turning his head.

"Well? What is it then? Sure looks like one to me Rick. And you don't have to be so… mean all the time."

Rick ignored Morty and kept working on his device. Five minutes later, Rick holds it up in the air yelling, "It's done Mother Fuckers!"

"Well?" Morty sighs still waiting for the answer.

"It's a Badass Frisbee that retuURRPrns itself back to the owner when some dumbass grandURRPkid misses catching it!"

"Awe geez Rick. It was only once. Maybe more…" Morty grabs his arm and looks downward feeling guilty.

"AlriUURPght Morty! Let's give this fucker a try! Go loooong!" Rick walked out of the garage and out into the street. He watches as Morty carefully walks down the sidewalk before looking both ways before stepping out into the street. Rick shakes his head over Morty's over carefulness.

"Throw it Rick!" Morty yells from down the street with his arms already in the air. Again Rick shakes his head and sends the disk flying with a well-trained flick of his wrist. The disk takes off low and then soars into the air with a high arc. Rick watched the trajectory, his eyes already calculating where it would land. Or, where it would have landed if someone had just stayed still.

"I got it!" Morty called out running to the left while looking at the Frisbee as it started to descend to the right. Morty noticed this too late, missing the disk that landed in the same spot he was standing in. Rick rolled his eyes as the plastic bounced off the pavement to roll away on its side towards the street drain and right inside.

"For Christ's sake MorUURPty! All you had to do was… was stand there. GrandUURPpa knows how to pitch it!"

"Geez Rick… sorry. I guess we get to test it out now right? You know… make sure it works and all?" Morty was already walking back to Rick feeling guiltier than ever.

Rick rubbed the bridge of his nose and took a swig from the flask. He knew he shouldn't be so rough on the kid. His daughter's divorce was getting on all their nerves. No one was handling it well.

"No… no worries Morty. You're riUURPght. At least this way we… we can make sure this thiUURPng works. Which I know it will…" Rick's voice raises with enthusiasm " 'Cause I'm a genius biUURPtch!"

Rick pulled out the second device that went with the Frisbee. It was just a TV remote case with a receptor in it that was tuned to the same frequency as the Frisbee. Rick turned it on and observed as the red light blinked on. The green lights at the top started to flash indicating that it had located the Frisbee.

"Just push this button here and…" Rick stopped mid-motion listening to a strange popping sound coming from the sky. He turned around and squinted his eyes against the sun. The popping sound became more intense followed by a slick gelatinous thump as a portal opened up in the sky. Rick cocked his head, curiosity filling him as he noticed the darker, purple and red swirls this one had. Not at all like the shades of green that he was used to. His mind started its calculations taking in the circumference, depth and colors as it hung in the air unmoving. Rick dropped the remote and started walking towards the portal, his heart racing as his war driven mindset created multiple scenarios that all ended in destruction.

In the background Rick could faintly hear Morty yelling in a panic that something was coming through. Rick held a hand against the sun and saw a small figure plummet downward.

"Fuck! It's a person!" Rick yelled out as he took off running. New calculations ran through his head as he pumped his legs to move faster. Whomever it was, they were unconscious which meant that the rate of decent had to be slowed. There was no way he would be able to catch this person; that only happened in the movies. Thoughts appeared with lightning speed recalling training around falling. Don't land on the head, avoid the pelvis area… those three bones will snap and the internal bleeding will kill… feet first… feet first… broken bones but no death.

Rick came closer to the falling figure and leapt into the air crashing into the body at an angle that changed the position to support the pelvis and head against his own body and expose the legs to land first. Rick felt himself hit the ground hard on his side, saw the legs hit next and then both tumbled to a stop. Rick panted hard, lifted the woman in his arms and took off running back to the garage. He could feel a fire in his chest as he pushed random items off his work counter and placed the woman on top.

"Fuck fuck fuck. Pulse… check. Eyes… responsive. Bleeding…" he looked over her clothes and under the areas which held dried blood, "not hers. Fuck! Morty, get me the syringe with the blue gel from the top of the shelf."

"Yes Rick!" Morty had never heard such a clear command from Rick; usually some word came in the form of a burp. This panicked Morty and he ran to the shelving unit and tore the top box off the shelf. As he rummaged through its contents Morty thought about the chaos that occurred only moments ago. He saw Rick running towards the body falling from that portal and then he heard another pop before it closed up. At least nothing else came through, he thought. Morty found the blue syringe on the bottom and rushed it over to Rick.

"Thanks buddy. Now I am going to need you to put your hand on her stomach while I use this on her legs. She might buck. This is going to repair the broken bones but with her being unconscious who knows how the body may react." Rick placed Morty in front of the woman and placed both his small hands on top of her stomach. Rick moved to the side of her legs and began injecting the blue fluid into both legs. Morty remembered a time when he too had broken legs repaired by this stuff. It hurt for a while until the bones set into place. As soon as the audible crack of bones was heard, the woman's midsection raised into the air and Morty struggled to keep her from rolling off the table. Rick joined him to help support her and soon the body relaxed as bones were set.

Rick moved to her side to lift her up and took her into the living room to lay gently on the couch. Morty came up beside to place a blanket on top of her. Rick thought about the blanket noting that he should check the woman's temperature again. She felt like she was on fire in his arms. Thermometer out, Rick placed the sensor on her head to reveal a normal body temp. Must have been a reaction to the injection then he pondered.

"What do we do now? Is she going to be okay?"

"Yeah. We just need to wait and hope she wakes up soon. You stay with her. I need to… do some calculations in the garage. Come get me if she wakes." Upon leaving, Rick takes one last look at her now that things calmed down. Brown hair, slender face, full lips, nice breasts… she would have been his type except for the hair color.

Rick met Morty's gaze and put a hand on his shoulder. Morty was obviously worried about their new guest and he wanted to let him know that everything would be alright. But he couldn't assure him of that. Not yet. He had to assess the threat. That was not a portal he had ever seen. Every event set him on defense today… everything seemed wrong. He needed to think. Hopefully the new guest would not awaken until he had time to present his questions to the other Ricks in the Citadel. They were going to flip.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

 **The Fall**

The lights were out and the room was dark as you stumbled around, trying to find the switch on the wall. After tripping over a side table, you locate the switch and fill the living room with light. You instantly close your eyes feeling a sharp pain searing through your head. Slowly opening them again just reminded you how the room was still tilting and swaying. Damn, how much did I drink you wonder as a giggle escapes you when you fall onto the couch. This week's events got to you. Usually a bottle of cheap whiskey would soothe the nerves. Usually you were not asked to come into a firefight so late into the game. Usually people were better equipped. You lay your head back and rub your temples, hearing the faint screams from the ghosts of the past.

Rick enters the room in his faded pajama pants, blue hair a mess from sleeping. You lift your head and run your eyes down his body, the heat from the alcohol mixing with his heat. Your eyes meet his as a grin spreads across his lips.

"Again babe?" You know he is referring to the nightmares and not the drinking.

"Yeah. I can't… forget… those people… in that… that mess." You let out a belch and keep talking as Rick picks up the table, setting various pictures back on it. He joins you on the couch as you continue to ramble on. As he sits, the heat makes your eyes close and you stop talking. You stop thinking. Memories of his fire now fill your mind. Years of fighting swept away by one touch. He was your rock now. Rick always had a way of looking to the future and planning the next move in assisting the resistance. You tended to remember those who could no longer fight. Their faces filled your dreams, their screams and burning flesh always woke you during any slumber.

You feel a hand cup your cheek and pull you towards warm lips. You open up to feel the sensations he was already stirring deep within. The room was no longer spinning as you straddled him, running your hands through that blue hair. Rick grabbed your bottom pulling you tight against him, moaning as he grew harder. It always amazed you that even after all this time together you could still affect him the same. As you sit up, you take a quick moment to gaze into his hungry eyes.

"I love you. You always make things alright." You say gently as your eyes water up.

"I love you too babe. This will all end soon. I… I promise." Rick replies softly, kissing your wrist. Keeping eye contact, he pulls you against his body for another long kiss and then lifts you off the couch. Your legs wrap around his waist as he carries you to the bedroom.

Not bothering with the lights, Rick sets you on the bed, pulling off your shirt and bra. When he backs up, you resume to strip away your pants and underwear. Rick's eyes follow your movements as he removes his own to stroke himself. The light from the living room is all you need to see how ready he is. You stand on your knees and the room tilts a bit causing you to land back on your bottom.

"Oh my… This may be a bad thing. Me taking advantage of you in such a… compromising state. Who knows what I might… might do?" He cooed.

"Oh I do… and that has never… never stopped you!" You run your hands over your breasts as you back up allowing Rick to crawl onto the bed. His eyes lock onto your hands and his body stills as you play along nipples, swirling around to pinch as a sigh escapes your mouth. Rick growls and grabs your legs, pulling you down against the bed. With a quick yank you are pulled under him as teeth grip one breast, tongue exploring in quick movements where your fingers were moments ago. You gasp, enjoying when he takes control. Rough hands pull your arms up above your head as they slowly move down the length of your arms, his slender fingers digging into your flesh.

"If you move your arms, I stop…" Rick purrs against your breast.

"Fuck… I hate when you do this…" but you don't. You love when he goes down on you. Years have made him an expert in all the ways to make you scream. Rick knows how you love to tangle your fingers in his hair as he plays. He also knows that you won't dare to move your arms. One night he left the room and finished himself off in the bathroom. Fucker, you thought recalling the feeling of being left high and dry. But you learned the rules…

Rick leaves small kisses down your body, making your skin burn with each press of lips. His fingers continue to trail down as well, tracing the outside of your body still pressing into the skin possessively. You close your eyes to the sensations, desire and need burning within you. Rick spreads open your legs, licking his lips as he positions himself between your legs. Your mind wonders which approach he will take this time. Will he move in fast or tease you by taking his time to play.

A loud boom is heard in the distance followed by repeated booms getting closer. Rick is at the foot of the bed throwing clothes at you while dressing himself. Muscle memory takes over as you dress, roll off the side and access the weapon cache in the closet. You pull two small plasma guns, tossing one to Rick who was now accessing the controls for the larger weapons. He grabs the small gun slapping it to his side as the magnetic holder locks it in place. A plasma rifle is thrown at you as you lock the smaller gun in its place. No words are exchanged. Both of you are far too familiar with this. You just never expected it to happen on Earth.

The explosions return as you follow Rick out the back door to get your first view of the intruders. Your mind races trying to match the curves and sharp angles of the ships to those in your memory. Nothing comes to mind and a sharp curse to your left lets you know that Rick has no clue as well. Panic starts to grip you. You were expecting the usual fare of Gromflomites or Bliznarvians, both members of the main evil, the Galactic Federation. Instead you are dealing with an unknown force. Unknown variables throw you off. There is no plan of attack built into memory with this one.

Chaos engulfs the neighborhood as building are blown up and catch on fire. People you once had over for dinner are panicking, running to get to their cars only to have smaller aircraft blow them away. You run next to Rick weaving in and out of the buildings, taking potshots at the smaller aircraft as they zoomed around. Rick looks to you and gives the hand motions for you to take up position across the street. You both need a better view of the main ship or at least what race you might be dealing with. As you make your way to the other side, a smaller aircraft barrels down the street straight for you. You drop to one knee, take out the larger plasma rifle and take aim at the propulsion unit. Two blasts send the craft spinning off to the left to collide with your house.

Rick comes running up alongside you as curiosity takes over. You have to see who you are up against. That is the only way to know what fighting techniques they are using. The only way to know if you stand a chance. You step over the rubble of what once was your living room and peer into the cockpit of the craft. Empty. You take a ready stance and signal to Rick that someone is on the loose. Hugging the rifle towards your body, you round the corner of the hallway and resume pointing the weapon down the empty space. Rick clears the first room while you watch his back. Nothing. Rick moves into position as you move to clear the second room. Nothing. Rick motions for you to head towards the back door. As you start to move you hear some rubble shift to the left and take cover. Rick brings up his rifle to shoot as three shots follow in his direction.

Hand motions indicate that you need to circle around and you quietly ease around the corner to get a look at where the shots are coming from. The attacker rises up and you see someone who looks like they belong on Earth. Confusion freezes you for a moment as Rick takes fire and you roll away. This gives you a direct line to the target and you shoot. The attacker falls back, dark blue blood staining the carpet. Dark blue blood. Just like yours. Rick runs up to you and takes note of the attacker as well.

"Fuck this. I thought you were the only one left?" Rick asks, checking around the body and grabbing weapons, ammo.

"That's what I was told. Remember that guy who I said brought me to Ryjin 5? Well he said my planet blew up and we were the last ones left. Then he died which meant only me. How the fuck am I supposed to know he lied?" Again you feel the panic rise. Too much information at once. Got to shut it down to focus on what was important; getting off this doomed planet. Rick, of course was way ahead of you.

"Alright. Whatever. I'll get the ship prepped in the garage. Let's bolt. Nothing we can do from here." Rick ran to the garage as you gathered up some more weapons from the closet as well as some food for the journey.

Your head swam with questions. One part wanted answers to questions from your youth… why were you told to never touch anyone, why were you taken from your home with someone who said they all died, why were they attacking Earth! You knew that for now you would have to wait on these and focus on getting away safely.

Running through the door, you toss the weapons and food into the ship. Rick was nowhere to be seen. You bring up the pistol and walk to the opening of the garage. Keeping your shoulder against the building, you peer around one corner and then the next. Buildings were still being bombed and people were still running. A part of you felt like a coward for running but you knew that staying was a death sentence, especially when you have friends out in space that can help Earth better then you.

A scream brings you to attention as you see a small child running down the street. You take to action, running alongside the child and scooping her up into your arms. A panicking mother soon appears and you hand over the kid. Shaking your head, you walk towards the garage again to see another attacker at the top of the driveway. A female in a black and green uniform aims a strange looking device your way. Instinct tells you it's not a friendly gesture but the blast exits it before you could react. Time slows down. The burst from the device looks like a swirling molten liquid. You can see it heading straight for you. You know what happens next and you squeeze your eyes shut. Wake up. Wake up. No no no no no no no. The scene freezes. You open your eyes and see Rick in mid leap. You squeeze them shut again. No no no no no no no. Time resumes. The blast hits Rick full in the chest. You scream. He falls to the ground and turns to ash.

Your world ends. The fire is gone. No tears. Just rage as you pull out your rifle and open fire at the attacker in the driveway. Too many blasts. The memory fades and twists. Your own recollection of events after that are blurry. You emptied all your weapons. Blood covers you. You get hit with something and you fall. Always falling now.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

 **The Awakening**

You slowly open your eyes to see that you are back on a couch with a soft blanket pulled over you. Gods, if that was a nightmare then I am NEVER drinking that crap again… you think as you start to sit up, rubbing your eyes. You hear shuffling to your left and then a new voice.

"Try not to move too fast. You were hurt. Wait while I get my grandpa." the new voice said quickly and then disappeared down a hallway.

Panic comes as your breath quickens and you grab your chest. It was real… it happened… oh gods… Rick… and then you could barely breathe. You grip the blanket and pull it to your eyes, feeling the stinging tears. Then you feel a slight heat in your chest as a voice you thought long gone cuts through.

"Breathe. You're safe here…" you hear Rick say as he sits down next to you on the couch. You feel your heart start to beat again, your breathing slows as you throw yourself at him, your arms tightening around his neck, and you kiss him. Those soft thin lips meet yours and the small fire ignites as he welcomes the movement. You explore his mouth afraid that you would never be able to feel him again. As you kiss him, fingers exploring his hair as his hands move to you waist, you realize something is different. The heat is not as strong, the emotions are absent, no swirling feelings, and even the way he is kissing is different. You pull away to study his face. He looks tired, bags under his eyes and slimmer. He is wearing a white lab coat and a light blue long sleeve shirt under it. You never remembered him even owning a lab coat.

"You… you're not… who are you?" Your heart starts to race again, the panic returning that this is not the same man you were married to for forty-five years.

"Sorry babe… I… I didn't mean to…" Rick rubs the back of his neck looking guilty. "This is not your dimension. I'm not your Rick."

"Not my dimension?" you repeat confused. You never thought it was possible. "I don't get it. You mean people can travel to other dimensions?"

"You mean your Rick never did?" He looks at you confused as well. Rick pulls out a small gray device which held a cylinder at the top that encased a green plasma ball. You look at the device and recognize the energy trapped within. The logic of it all sets in. This was what Rick was trying to develop; he just never found an energy source strong enough to support the theories. And now here it was sitting in your hands. You start to shake, still staring at the device. "Shit…" Rick got out as he wrapped his arms around you, holding on tight.

Everything hit at once. The panic and the terror struck your body chilling you to the core. The absence of your dimension and the truth of your loss made you numb. You knew your body was shaking, you could see it as Rick held on to you. You could hear his voice trying to calm you, soothe you… But you watched it all happen with a numbness, not really feeling like that was you. Your Rick was dead. Your Earth under attack. Your life in ruins. And yet here you were on Earth being held by Rick. You take a deep breath and sink into his arms, letting the tears fall. It feels like hours before your body calms down and you end up falling asleep in his arms.

You wake up to Rick lightly snoring above you, his head resting against the back of the couch. You had turned into him, sitting across his lap with your head on his chest. His arms were still around you. You feel a warmth spread through you and wonder if this is the same heat you shared with your Rick. Your Rick. It still feels strange to you; to see a Rick with you but know he is not the same. This one has had different experiences… Hell, you think, he has a grandchild. Not being able to produce a child with your Rick was always a sore spot for you; but Rick loved you no matter what.

Rick starts to wake up, stretching his arms out before looking down at you still in his lap. A soft look comes over his face and it is almost enough to start you crying again. You bury your face into his chest and breath slowly, collecting your nerves. You need to get your mind off the past and the best way to do that is to focus on the future.

"My name is Tess, by the way."

"Heya Tess…" he replies as you fight back more tears. "I know this is… this is going to be rough but I need to know where that portal came from." This brings your mind to focus.

"What portal?"

"The one you fell through. It was a darker purple with red swirls to it. The dimensional portal is green, but… but you fell from one dimension to… to another." Rick even stutters like your Rick.

"We were working on a portal device much like yours but didn't have a power source small enough. Other than that blueprint, I have never seen or heard of other portal devices." You sit for a moment and think, adding "Oh, and portals used for transport, but those are blue."

"YeaUURP, yeah. Fuck. I was hoping you knew. Would… would make this easier. But then again… you were… you were unconscious when you fell through."

"How did I survive that?" You sit back on the couch looking at him. His mannerisms were so similar it was eerie. Except the belch. You tended to do that more; a habit your Rick always discouraged.

"I jumped for you. Had to… had to change your rate and angle of decent." Rick proclaimed talking as if it happened all the time. You wonder if maybe he did do this sort of thing a lot. Would make sense if this Rick lived the kind of life you had.

"Thank you. Really. You couldn't have known if I was friend or foe." You stretch your arms up and feel your back crack. As you open your eyes you see Rick looking down your body. You smile, yep that's Rick in any dimension I guess. You ignore the attention as his eyes meet yours.

"Foe's don't usually come already… already knocked out. Had to take a chance. Didn't want… blood and gunk all over the daUURP damn lawn." His tone resumes its nonchalant manner, brushing off the good deed as if it was purely a selfish act.

"Rick? Is that woman up yet?" came a small, high pitched voice from the kitchen. You remember it from when you first woke up. He called Rick his grandpa.

"YeaUURPh Morty. She's awake." Rick looks back to you and adds, "Hungry?"

"I think it would be best if I did eat something. The last thing I had was a bottle of whiskey…" you reply to Rick as a sly smile spreads across his face. He reaches into his lab coat and pulls out a small silver flask, throwing it on your lap.

"Start with this then babe…" Rick heads towards the kitchen leaving you with Morty and a flask.

You open up the flask and take a whiff of the stuff inside. Whiskey. Gods be praised, you chuckle as you down the contents. The liquid slightly burns the back of your throat as you ponder the fact that this Rick is a drinker. Meanwhile Morty walks over to join you on the couch. You look him over, curious as to how Rick's genes would play out. He seemed to be a nervous boy, always looking to the floor, rubbing the back of his neck or holding on to his arm. His smile was comforting and reached his eyes. It was hard not to smile back at him.

"I'm… Morty. I was there when you… um… fell. And also when you… woke up." He talked in a quiet voice barely looking at you.

"I'm Tess. It's nice to finally talk with you Morty. Thank you for all that you have done. Were you the one that gave me this soft blanket?" You added; compliments always help people feel more welcome to a conversation.

"Yeah! It was!" Morty replied smiling. It worked. Morty seemed more relaxed now and his tone was not so silent. "I'm so glad you're doing well now. This is where I live… oh, I have a sister, Summer, as well. Oh, and my mom lives here too. Her name is Beth. She's Rick's daughter. My dad lives… elsewhere for now…" his voice instantly trails off at the mention of his father. You assume this is a new thing with the rawness present in his voice. Morty looks back at you and smiles.

"You have a sister too? Older or younger?" You are starting to like Morty and want to see him happy.

"She's older… and a pain. She's always getting in the way you know? You have any brothers or sisters?" Morty asks bringing one leg up on the couch, relaxing.

"Don't ask stupid quesUURPtions Morty." Rick came in chiding the boy. He was carrying a plate with scrambled eggs, sausage and toast. You didn't realize it was morning. "Gal just wakes up from… from almost falling to her deaUURPth and you bombard her with… with nonUURPsense. Fuck, Morty. Ease uUURPp." Rick sets the plate on the couch in front of you scooting Morty off to take his place.

"It's not stupid questions Rick… I was trying to get her mind off of what she… went through you know? Geez…" Morty plops down on the chair next to the couch and crosses his arms. You are frozen with your eyebrows raised. This is how they talk to each other? Wow. You can't help but smile though. Even though the conversation seemed harsh you can see that Morty did not take offence and that this was normal for them.

You start eating the food placed in front of you not realizing how hungry you were. The booze helped to calm your nerves but without anything in your stomach you knew it would hit you hard if you didn't eat. After finishing the eggs and sausage, you pop the toast in your mouth to look up and see both guys watching you. You finish the bite of toast and smile.

"I'm better now you know. I'm not going to flip out again. Not yet." You add in with a wink. That earns a smile from Morty and an eye roll from Rick.

"Not why I'm watching you babe. I want to make… make sure you get some food in you before… UURP… before we start the tests." Rick watches for your reaction and you give him a wink. He stares at you with serious eyes and then makes his blue uni-brow wiggle, then gets up and starts walking to another door next to the kitchen. He yells back "Meet me in the garage when you finish babe."

You were left alone in the living room with Morty who was looking at you with an odd expression.

"What's with the look?" you ask slowly still munching on your toast.

"It's just… just… well I've never seen Rick like that. You know… joking. Making someone laugh or smile or anything other than pissing people off you know?" Morty rubs the back of his neck and you sigh. This kid is a ball of nerves; got to watch what I say, you mentally take a note and smile. Morty doesn't seem to like changes too much.

"You missed it before." you start, going for honesty. "I was a wreck. He ended up having to babysit me as I had my mental breakdown and cried all over his shirt. It was real messy. I don't think he wants to have to wash another shirt if I get all watery again."

"Yeah…" Morty replies sounding more sure. "I can see what you mean. But… but it wouldn't be that bad of a thing if he just… I dunno… Cared a little more." Morty walked out of the room before you had a chance to reply. You start to think about all the differences between the two Ricks and wonder what else was different.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

 **The Test**

After finishing off the rest of the breakfast given to you, you place the plate in the kitchen sink and head towards the door you saw Rick walk out of. Upon entering the garage, you notice how Rick has taken over the space with half-finished projects, gadgets and all the little odds and ends to make anything. Your eyes sweep over the materials, your mind already at play with all the different weapons and bombs you could make with the tools. Years of crafting weapons for the ongoing rebellion against the Galactic Federation has your mind stuck on crafting mode. You see Rick watching as you run your fingers along the closest tool.

"Like what you see?" Rick replies still watching you.

"Yeah… reminds me of the days I use to craft weapons on the fly. Had a counter at one of my hideouts with tools like this. You know… hand crafted tools to supplement the ones that just didn't work for the type of modifications you needed." You kept your eyes on the tools before you, not wanting to see his face. Your Rick would have rolled his eyes over you geeking out on tools like this. If you saw that same look on this Rick… you might lose it again.

"Tell me about it…" was his reply as he walked over to join you. "I had to… to create this bad boy so I could get to a screw behUURP… behind a power coupling. Couldn't move that damn coupling. Fucking piece of shUURP… shit."

You look up at him. The fact that he could relate was odd. Your Rick was the planner, more into biological and chemical reactions then the everyday creation of mechanisms that would carry the stuff. Rick looks back to you and smiles. You feel that heat in your chest again; just like when you first met your Rick.

"Well…" Rick continues as he walks towards the steel workbench, patting the top. "Jump on up babe."

"Wow… move fast don't ya?" You smile as you walk towards the bench and jump up. Rick moves in close to your knees staring you down. Trouble is, you have seen the stare down before and you have never backed down. After a minute of silence you hear Rick chuckle and turn away to get some equipment.

"I need to run some… tests on you. I need answers. I have… people… looking into possiUURP… possibilities, probabilities, and wild fucking guesses." Rick takes out a syringe first. "Blood will be first. Hope you don't have an issUURP… issue with needles."

"Nope. Used them too many times to have issues." You silently chide yourself at how open you are with him. You still didn't know him too well. As you look at Rick though, you see his brow raise with a wicked smile.

"Nice babe. Recreational or therapeutic?" Rick asks with a wink. You feel your face blush thinking of all the fun the two of you could have. Your Rick wasn't into recreational. You lower your eyes though, ashamed that you were thinking of Rick like that.

"Yes to both." You reply as you busy yourself with rolling up your sleeve.

"That a girl…" Rick smiles more as he prepares the syringe. With one try he is able to get the vein and stares as the blood enters the vial. "Dark blue huh? What are you… a damn NebUURP… Nebari?" he chuckles.

"You got me. I'm actually a white skinned alien posing as a human. No I'm not a Nebari!" you roll your eyes but add, "Nice reference though. Yeah, I have dark blue blood. As far as I know, the only human looking species that has this color is mine. That's how I knew during the battle. Popped that chick from behind and she was covered with it. Imagine _my_ shock." You fill Rick in on the details. He stops and listens to the whole story giving you his full attention. When you get to the end you focus on the weapon and the way the blast looked, noting quickly that it had turned your Rick to ash. Rick moves into your legs and wraps his arms around you as tears start to form again. You relax into his arms feeling the heat rise again, thankful for the embrace. Rick allows you to cry a bit while you work on steadying yourself, emotions still raw.

"I'm here." was all he said while holding on to you. After a while you realize that he is standing between your legs and the fire starts to spread again, along with your arousal. "So," Rick whispers into your ear causing the fire to increase, "are you going to explain how you always seem to get a higher temperature around me… even though there's no fever…"

"Ummm…" you start to reply as he breaks the hold to look into your eyes. He still hasn't moved from between your legs and your breathing quickens. Rick brings his hand up to cup your chin, his thumb resting below your bottom lip. You search his eyes not knowing how to explain what is going on. You don't even know what he can feel; if it's the same as with your Rick or not. Your Rick could feel the heat as well, realizing later that it increased with arousal from either of you. And then it happens; a gentle pull at your chin to bring your lips to his. He is still staring into your eyes as you get closer. Lips barely brush against yours as you tighten your legs.

"Fuck… there it is. Your lips are like lava babe…" he breathes against your lips as you straighten up to press yours against his. One full touch is all it takes to ignite the fire and Rick is kissing you fully, exploring your mouth with his tongue. His right hand moves to grab behind your head while the left hand lowers to cup your bottom, squeezing. You let out a soft moan and wrap your legs behind him keeping him in place as you kiss him back noting the familiar taste of whiskey. Your hands move on their own to his hair as he pulls you closer to the edge of the table. Rick is the first to break the kiss, moving down your neck to suck on the tender flesh below your ear.

"It's a bond thing. I think…" you breathe out silently trying to steady yourself as he continues to pull on the flesh.

"Um hmmm…" is all you hear as teeth graze. Your breathing comes faster as he slowly pulls away to look at your neck. Then you hear the door start to open. Rick backs away and pulls your hair over that side of your neck. You look at him, confused for a moment until you realize what he left on you.

"You bastard…" you glare at him while he smiles and winks at you, turning to gather more equipment. Morty walks through the door and sits on the rolling chair.

"A bond thing huh?" Rick continues… "Explain. Didn't mean to… interrURRP, interrupt you." He finishes with his back still turned to you.

Your emotions are running wild. You want to throw something at him. _He gave me a fucking hickey,_ you scream in your head, _what is this high school?_ But then you silently laugh, missing this playfulness. He was good at keeping you distracted.

"Yeah…" you begin glaring at his back. "I was always told not to touch others. No skin contact. Never told why but I always felt that something horrible would happen. Turns out they were wrong. Instead, I get the fire feeling after I first saw my Rick. Always was that way. He started to feel it too, then I could sense his emotional state… strong emotions. He could feel the same with me. Helped in combat." You reply feeling your agitation at the other lessen. You kept the explanation short and simple; didn't want to get into too much with Morty sitting right there.

"That sounds cool, you know?" Morty chimes in. "Being able to tell if the one you love still feels the same way."

"Bullshit..." Rick belches loudly. "You mean being able to tell… tell when they are annURRPoyed with you, hate you, and despise you? Pshhh, no thanks." Rick rolls his eyes.

"Geez Rick, I think it would be nice." Morty says back to Rick, siting straighter in his chair.

"There _are_ complications Morty." you add in. "One can greatly influence the other. We learned how to adjust to each other's emotions and be strong for the other in times of need. Like how I remember every person I kill or who has died and he would be able to steady me out by focusing on the next steps…" You pause. You look at Rick who has turned around, watching you. _Has he been doing that too?_

"Anyway… Next is the sensors. I need to puURRP... put these on you for readings. I'll send these to my… friends. They'll analyze all this shURRP… shit and get back to me." Rick holds up round sensors attached to wires. "Shirt off babe." He looks to Morty and adds "You… out boy!"

"Awe geez Rick…" Morty whines as he leaves the garage.

You laugh while taking off your shirt, exposing the tan bra you had on underneath. Spots of dark blue covered the front and you realize you never got to change. Then you realize you have no other clothes.

"Fuck Rick…" you sigh while shaking your head. "I just realized I haven't even taken a shower. And I need something else to wear until I can get more clothes. And I need a way to make money to buy new clothes. And I need somewhere to stay…." Your head starts to ache.

"Don't worry about all that. There's two gaURRP… gals who live in this house who are roughly the same… same size as you. They woURRP… won't mind." Rick replies are he starts placing the sensors on your chest, back and sides. "As for living arrangements and money… we can figURRP… figure something out. Hell, you can sleep in my bed. Not like I ever sleep. Waste of time. Sleeping." Rick places the last sensor on you and runs a finger across a rather deep scar that runs across your right side. The heat is low, the movement more in speculation you feel.

"That was when I saved a little boy who had decided that a burning building was a great place to hide during a raid because that's where his bed was. The roof got me. Boy was safe though…"

"Why didn't you fix it?" It took you a moment to realize that Rick was talking about the scar.

"What do you mean? You can't fix a scar."

"Yeah… you can. Shit. Forgot that mixture is only avURRP… available in another dimension. I can fix it for you later if you like." Rick looks to you.

"Naw… I like my scars. Proves I survived. Gives me character." You smile and straighten up, exaggerating the pride. Rick gives you a lopsided grin and waves his hand as if to say, _whatever_. He connects the wires from the sensors to a small monitor and everything is quiet as the program runs through its course. After the readings were collected, the device sounds with a beep and Rick types in something, then turns to pull off the sensors.

"That's it for now. Later I'll take some internal pics to see what I'm dealing with."

"I can tell you now. I have a redundancy system for all vital organs except the brain. I have a faster immune system and a slower rate of aging." Since your Rick found all this out a long time ago, you might as well save this Rick the trouble.

"How old are you babe?" Rick asks with a cocked head.

"Why? Did you think I was young?" you reply smiling.

"You look it. But with the slower aging who knows now."

"I'm the same age as you." You watch as his eyes get big and his mouth drops a bit. After a long moment of silence you hear him ask the question you've been dreading.

"How long were you with him?" Rick asks silently with his eyes closed.

"Over forty five years" you reply softly. It still stings. Practically your whole life and now you find yourself alone; but it's alright because you feel more connected to this Rick then you thought was possible. You get your shirt, jump off the table and pull it over your head. Not really sure where to go from there you ask, "Where is the shower?"

"Up stairs to the left. I'll get clothes from Summer for you to wear." Rick replied quietly as well.

As you leave the garage and close the door behind you, you can hear a glass bottle break against the wall followed by strong cursing. Morty runs to you, concern showing on his face.

"Is everything alright? What happened?"

"Not sure. You can see if you want, but I need to take a shower." You leave and walk up the stairs. Once inside the bathroom you start the shower and step inside, watching as all the blood colors the water blue. You wonder what made him mad but decided if he wanted to let you know he would have said something. When you were done with your shower, you notice that there is a change of clothes waiting on the toilet. You didn't hear anyone enter.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

The Decision

A long soak in a hot shower was exactly what you needed. Along with the new tank top and jeans you almost feel normal. As you head downstairs you hear two different women talking to each other. _This must be Summer and Beth_ , you think. They are talking about a big dance coming up at school and what the younger should wear. You walk in and the conversation stops, both gals looking at you with a soft smile. Introductions are made and assurances are given to Beth that you will not become a freeloader and that you will find a way to contribute to the family. Beth is flattered and offers for you to stay as long as you need and only asks for help around the house. Both gals are hospitable and the conversation turns to daily on goings and gossip. You stick around for a while listening and chatting with them, enjoying the female company. It is nice to just talk to others and not fear an attack.

After an hour, Morty joins in the conversation and the teasing starts between brother and sister. Beth does her normal mother routine but you can see her smile as she turns her back on them. Summer asks about going to the mall and Morty complains that he needs new shirts. Beth agrees to take them and asks if you want to join. You really wanted to go, but with no money and barely knowing this family, you felt as if you would be a larger burden and refused this time. A warmth comes over you. You admire how readily they accepted you into their daily routine. No one asked you about what happened. No one gave you those looks people give when they are afraid of how fragile you may be. Obviously someone warned them; probably Morty.

With the family locked away behind car doors and off to the mall, you return to the living room and turn on the television. You know better than to track down Rick after what you heard earlier. Looking at the clock, you note that it's in the afternoon and with the family off shopping you guess that it must be the weekend. You turn to a local news station and spend some time learning what you can. There are minor differences between your dimensions. Makes you feel at ease to know that things are basically the same. The only big difference you can find is that Earth was able to escape the Galactic Federation and that something happened to overturn their power. Something about a change in the value of their currency. You had to do an internet search to find out about that. You smiled when you found that their tv was able to search the internet.

Switching through nonsense channels started to make you drowsy and you soon found yourself nodding off. Then the garage door slams open and you sit up, prepared for an attack. Instead Rick storms in. Anger is seething off him. You relax and position yourself back to a comfortable spot on the couch. You flip to another channel and ignore Rick. Years have taught you about these cries for attention. He wants you to ask what is wrong. He wants to be able to yell at you to expel this anger growing in him. He needs to vent and blame someone else for the venting; and you need him to be the bigger man and start the conversation. Rick is standing at the edge of the couch staring at you with his head cocked to the side.

"Really?! This is how you're going to react? By… by fucking changing the channel?! What the fuck is wrong with you? Normal people would ask what's wrong?" he yells.

"Why? So you can yell at me some more?" you answer quietly without emotion.

"Yes goddamn it!" Rick shouts back. He starts to pace around the room with his hands running through his hair. You sigh heavily and get up to walk past him and into the kitchen. You rummage through cabinets until you find what you are searching for. Returning to the living room, you place two hands on Rick's shoulders, lead him to the couch and push him down to sit. Rick complies watching you. As you sit back on the couch next to him, you open the bottle of booze, take a swig and hand it to him.

"Not one word until half the bottle is done." was all you said. A long moment passed with silence, the two of you handing the bottle back and forth. The quiet broken by the occasional belching. Soon the bottle was empty and you see Rick lean his head on the back of the couch.

"Fuuuuuuuck." Rick rubbed the bridge of his nose, sounding exhausted.

"Now I can ask. What's eating you Gilbert Grape?" You turn your body to face his, feeling the room sway with your movement.

"Forty… five… fucking… years… Forty five! I couldn't even make it to a decade. And I can… I can collapse stars. FuuURRPck!" Rick rubs his eyes. Now you know. This was what got to him. Another Rick was able to make a marriage work.

"It wasn't all sunshine and lollipops dude. There was a good ten years where I was sure things were going to end."

"What helped?" he asked quietly, still not looking to you.

"I guess the fighting did. Like actual fighting. We were both involved in a higher cause you know? We faced the same stress. We saw the same shit daily. And we learned to value what we had. So many people were losing shit every day and we still ended next to each other. I mean what fuckin issues can compete with that fact? He knew I was there. I knew he was there." You lean your head on the back of the couch as well, closing your eyes to the memories. There was still a sting to them; there was also a numbness.

"I was always trying to live two… URRP… two lives. Diane couldn't have dealt with my intergalactic shit. Not with Beth..." Rick trailed off and the silence stretched until you heard him say very quietly, "Fucking lucky son of a bitch… Perfect… except…" you can hear him giggle and you lift your head up to look at him. "Brown… fuckin brown." A sly smile spreads across your face. You have this feeling he might be talking about you. At least his mood had changed. Then you had a bad thought.

You straddle him on the couch as he looks up to you, eyes serious. Rick pulls your hair behind an ear and runs his finger along the mark he left below. A smile plays on his lips as his eyes meet yours. The room spins slightly as the heat within grows. Arms rest along his neck and you lean in to plant small kisses on his forehead, nose and down to his lips. Rick closes his eyes to the kisses and rests his hands on your hips. Lips meet for a third time when the fire explodes. You hear a low growl from Rick as he lifts you up and throws you along the couch laying on top. His kiss is like a spiced whiskey as his hands explore under your top. You can feel the length of him press hard against your leg as he rubs against you. Rick breaks the kiss to pull up your shirt, lift up the bra and expose one breast to his will. Hands deftly message as tongue traces and teeth bite. The fire is too much, building with an intensity like you have never felt. You cry out in pleasure as he frees the other breast to play along those curves as well. Your hand reaches instinctively to intertwine with that blue hair as the other supports a breast for more activity.

With one hand freed, Rick trails it down the length of your body, down the pants and inside to feel that you are more than ready. "Fuck babe… I feel the same…" he whispered into one nipple, the cooler breath causing it to rise harder. Rick lowers to play along this fresh terrain, twisting with tongue and teeth. His hand with those agile fingers slide between your walls to delve down into the space below. You cry out again as he finds that special spot, playing with the rhythm of his mouth to his fingers below. Your breath is ragged as he strokes and presses harder to reach that spot which will send you over the edge. Amazement grips you at how fast he was able to locate such an intimate area. All you can do now is grab a hold of his hair, open your legs, arch your back against him and close your eyes. Rick locks his mouth around yours as his thumb positions against that most sensitive area while his other fingers masterfully press harder inside.

Your breath quickens as hips move in time to his fingers. As Rick breaks away from your mouth, you feel the waves of an orgasm start to build. He lowers his head to your ear and whispers "let go…". That was all it took to push you over the edge and allow yourself to fall back into the throws of the intensity he built within you. Waves lap against the inside of your core, bringing you to orgasm again in time with the still moving fingers and thumb. Rick moves his body to the side, allowing yours to buck; his mouth closing on the side of your neck again, sucking hard. At long last, your body starts to slow in contractions and he removes his fingers, trailing them along your skin and gripping you around your waist.

Rick looks into your eyes, resting his forehead on yours. "Did I do well?" he questions with a satisfied voice.

"Yeah. Oh yeah." you reply back, still catching your breath. "Might need more practice though…" Both of you laugh as you trail your hand along his chest, moving down to pull up his tucked in shirt. Rick smiles and grabs your hand, bringing it up to his lips to leave gentle kisses.

"I agree fully. Another time… the family will be home soon babe." He kisses you again exploring your mouth with the same intensity as before.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

The Lesson

It wasn't long after Rick helped you back into a sitting position on the couch that the family car pulled in, both kids bringing in large shopping bags. Rick chuckles and helps to smooth down your hair, laying one last kiss on your forehead. He leaves to the kitchen as the family comes through the door.

"Tess! You _have_ to see the dress I picked out…" Summer started in her almost valley girl voice. "It is totes adorable."

"If you think a high slit past the thigh is adorable…" you hear Beth mumble heading to the kitchen herself.

"Sure Summer. Go put it on and come back down." You looked at Summer, smiling. You really hoped the flush on your cheeks had subsided a bit. No one seemed to notice or say anything. As you close your eyes you hear Beth starting to cry from the kitchen. Rick's voice is heard soothing her as Morty comes to sit beside you.

"Mom is having a hard time with Dad gone. Sometimes she does well and others… Gosh, I wish there was something I could do you know?" Morty said staring off into the kitchen.

"Well, just letting her know you love her and that you'll support her will help."

"Yeah…" Morty got up and joined the group in the kitchen. Not wanting to interfere on a family issue, you get up deciding to meet Summer in her room to view her dress.

The rest of the evening goes well between the official viewing of the homecoming dress, talking about the type of shoes that might match, to the type of music the school should play. You knew more about that high school and everyone who attended then you needed to. It was cute to hear about Morty's crush; learning she had red hair almost made you choke from laughing. _I guess that is where Rick's genes played out then._ The more time you spent with Morty and Summer the more envious you grew of their lives. You also envied this semi normal routine of dealing with family problems, behaviors from siblings and stress about traffic. You also knew that it would drive you crazy after a month; you were definitely NOT Susie Homemaker.

As day turns to night, you yawn while listening to Morty talk about his last math test while still in Summer's room. Both kids suggested that you get some sleep and Summer shows you to Rick's room. Once inside you scan the room and remember what he told you; he barely ever slept. The room had papers with notes and blueprints scribbled across them, old shirts thrown to the floor and the comforter was balled up at the foot of the twin bed. Another yawn escaped as you smoothed out the blanket and crawled on to the bed. The softness of the mattress along with the smell of Rick on the sheets lulled you to sleep.

Sometime during the night you wake up covered in sweat, plasma bursts ringing in your ears. You take a moment to steady yourself then decide to walk out to the garage. Being half asleep, you didn't realize until the cold air hit you from the garage that you had no pants. You tilt your head back to stare up at the ceiling and moan not wanting to return back upstairs. As you survey the space around you, you notice a washer and dryer along the wall and lean down to pluck a pair of pants from the dryer. As you close the door you notice an odd electrical port against the lower wall. With another one so close and plugged into the units, there was no need for another in such an old house. Curiosity pushes you closer and you press against the plug, finding the material give way to form a pressed button. Behind you a small round elevator raises from the ground and you step in smiling. _Just like back home_.

The lift comes to a stop and opens to a new basement fitting the lair of a genius better than the common place garage. The walls were lined with weapons from various species and backlit to showcase the more dangerous ones. You smile darkly, proud that you could identify every piece of weaponry and knowing that you could dismantle and reassemble many from memory. The room was longer than the garage and you soon found Rick sitting at a smaller table talking with someone on a holographic computer; not just someone, another Rick. The Rick on the computer had a shaved head a scar along his left eye. You purposely stayed away from the conversation and waited until he turned the screen off before making a small noise.

"I knew you would find it." Rick chuckled turning around in his chair. "Like what you see?"

"I'm in heaven you know. I think I must have used all but two of these weapons over the course of my life. A couple I modified for other environments. A few I _know_ are illegal…" Your smile widens.

"You going to turn me in babe?" he teases back at you. "All of this is just in case… I've been involved in too many scenarios unprepared. By the way… thanks for not eavesdropping. It… means a lot."

"Dude, whatever…" you play it off, "I get it. You might be finding things out about me that I am not ready to handle. I trust your opinion on when to let me know." And just like that Rick got up from his chair, cleared the space between you and pulled you against him for a long kiss. The heat expands from mouth to stomach as he slowly removes his lips. You stare at him not knowing exactly where that came from, but not hating it either.

"You…" he sighs and pulls you towards to desk to sit you down in the chair. "Alright," he starts again changing his tone, "we have found some things out. More questions than… than answers really." He spins the chair to face the holographic screen and reaches around you to type out some information. A multidimensional intergalactic map appears in layers. A few more lines of data typed in from Rick and the map separates, layers peeling off to disappear past the screen. A tall stack of layers are still present as Rick starts to explain. "These layers are all the ones that confirm the destruction of your species. Some happened hundreds of years ago, some happened decades… all were gone before you were born." More data is typed into the computer as those layers disappear and a handful appear. "These layers include your home planet with your race still alive… but _you_ cannot be accounted for." More data and then one layer remained. "This is your layer. The only one where we can track down your specific genetic code that was left with several medical units. The _only one_." Rick turns you around to face him as he lowers to his knees, looking at you.

"The only one? Wow. You actually found my dimension…" You let the weight of that sink in for a few moments. "Why are you still watching me though… what else is there?"

"Babe. A woman like you, with such a significant impact on a Rick's life… you… you should be in more dimensions along with mine. But you… you're not. This poses questions and problems. Why just one dimension? You know the… the rarity of that? Why? What about the dimensions where no one could locate you? And why did your people attack Earth specifically where you were?" That last piece was new to you.

"What do you mean, specifically where I was? I thought they were attacking Earth? In my dimension Earth was able to fight off the Galactic Federation. Other races saw this and wanted to know what made us so special that the fucking Federation ran away." Your voice started to hold that tinge of panic it did when remembering the way the ash scattered on the grass.

"Stay with me babe…" Rick's voice cut through the panic and you focused on his eyes. "It wasn't all of Earth. It was your street. Your house. You. Rick saved your life. Now I'm going to do the same…" Rick's voice held such determination that you knew it would happen. He had that same commanding spirit that made you believe and trust that he knew the way.

"Okay." you breathe and look back at the holographic screen. "Okay."

"Babe…" Rick's voice was a whisper at your ear again. Warm arms wrap around you from behind as he rests his chin on the top of your head.

"We need to find out about that portal. Has anyone else recognized it?"

"Nope. And that… that worries me. We need to find out babe. What if it was created by your race? That means they have a way to travel across the dimensions. Currently… only Ricks have that ability." Rick's arms tighten and your mind starts to work.

"Only Ricks huh? And it appeared after mine… I didn't even see it. I don't remember much after grabbing the plasma rifle and blowing the shit out of that chick." Rick tightens behind you and pauses… even his breathing slows.

"Another girl? I remember you talking about blowing away another girl… Can you remember any guys?"

"I distinctly remember four women I killed. One before, one directly after and two more mixed in with the rage. They were wearing… black and green uniforms. All had darker, slicked back hair. Larger assault type weapons, nothing small." You start to feel frustrated at the lack of memory after your Rick fell. It would be so helpful right now. You hated feeling this useless. Your body tightens up as the anger causes your fingers to tense around the table. From behind, Rick messages your shoulders and starts to rub along your arms, kissing the top of your head. The movement helps you relax as you let go of the anger you feel.

"So… you now have the option to return to your dimension." Rick starts to say.

"Fuck no. There is NOTHING there for me. I never want to return…" you spit out, the anger returning. Rick turns the chair around to face him; he's on his knees.

"You can get clothes at least. You can show off your weapons lab…" Rick wiggles his brow again and winks. That brings a smile to your face. You would love to show off. Your Rick never fully understood what you were doing in your lab so he never went in. Now you can actually bring in someone and geek out. And it would be nice to have your own clothes. And you can raid the Earth currency you had set away for emergencies.

"Okay…" you breathe out. "But I am NOT going to Earth. My lab is on another planet and I have stuff I can get there as well. If you want to travel to that Earth feel free." You add quietly, "At least with this lab I don't have to worry about seeing any of his stuff… That would kill me. He never visited me there. Never really understood… I never really understood his crap either… chemical compositions and reactions… I only cared about the ones I could sell…" You were rambling now out of nervousness.

"Well…" Rick lifted your chin to look directly at him again. "I would love to see what you can do…" His voice was seductive and that heat built around his hand on your chin. You lean in to kiss him as he pulls you to your feet, his hands gripping your face spreading the warmth. Rick breaks the kiss to wrap you in his arms. "Did you even sleep?"

"Not much… bad dreams."

"Well, let's see how you do with me cuddled around you."

Rick walks you back to him room and wraps his body around you as you fall asleep on the pillow.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

The Song

Morning comes and you wake up alone. As you stretch you realize that you are hungry and look for clothes to throw on. The pants you picked up from the dryer will still work but you need another shirt. An evil smile curls your lips as you rummage through Rick's closet. You are rewarded with a tattered black tee shirt with the words "The Flesh Curtains" written in red paint across the front. _That has to be the name of a band…_ you wonder. By the looks of it, the shirt was well worn and you snagged it, pulling it over your head. The tatters were at your sides so it would be presentable to the family.

The smell of pancakes, eggs and bacon fill the air as you round the corner to the dining table. Morty and Summer say good morning as Beth places a plate of food in front of you. Sitting down at the table next to Morty, you see Rick come in from the garage, round the corner and stop to stare at you.

"What was wrong with your other shirt?" Rick asked while narrowing eyes at you.

"Nothing." You start eating the eggs and bacon avoiding his gaze. You hear Summer giggle across the table as she looks up from her cell phone to glance at Rick.

"Then why…" Rick rubs his eyes and adds "you know… never mind. If you wanted to remind me of younger dURRP, days then congrats." Rick sits across the table from you while Beth places a full plate in front of him. "Thanks sweetie. This smells amazing."

"Were you a roadie?" You ask Rick before he digs in to his breakfast.

"A roadie? Seriously? FuURRP, fuck… don't tell me he didn't even join a band." Rick was looking at you with his fork in the air.

"A band? _My_ Rick? Oh you got to be kidding… He would never have joined a band. _He_ was more of a roadie. Well at least when I first met him. He was following that band that played after me I think." You continue with your eggs.

"You were in a band?" Morty calls out. "That's so cool. What were you? What did you do?" This got Summer's attention too; she put down the cell phone.

"Oh, I was the singer. I didn't really tour with a band. I sang and people would come to play along. There would be lines of musicians waiting. It was really cool. I would start off singing, mainly things I came up with, words that tumbled through my head, and then they would start playing with me. Sometimes the song lasted a couple of minutes, other times hours." You feel a warm smile cross your face. When you were young, those were the only days and nights that mattered. It was just you, the stage and the music. No one coming near you. No worries. And it was where you met him…

"That's totes cool!" Summer piped in. "You should totes sing for the Homecoming dance! It would be amazing to have a live band. And you totes have grandpa to back you up… I mean, he can like, play anything right?" Summer looks to Rick and winks.

"SumSum… I'm not sure Tess is up to this yet." Rick's voice was one of a person trying to end the conversation. This peaked your curiosity and you smiled, looking Rick in the eyes.

"Who knows? Maybe this would help? I always feel better after I sing. What do you play Rick? What did you do in this band with the horrible name?"

"Horrible name? Horrible name? Pshhhhhh. Critics everywhere. Well biURRP, bitch… I played lead guitar. And I can play along with anything you can throw at me." His fork poked at you in the air to emphasize his point. "Anytime… anywhere babe."

"Oh geez… sounds like a battle!" Morty yelled out, excited. Even Summer was smiling. As you look to Rick, you see a sly grin.

"We shall see…" was all you said while the family finished breakfast. After the dishes were put away and cleaned, you head off to the garage. Rick was at his table fiddling with a guitar. As you walk in he looks up with a smile and winks.

"I wanna hear you sing babe. You start, I'll join." Rick finishes tuning his instrument and turns towards you, sitting on the edge of his chair to position the guitar.

"Should I grab the kids? They seemed into it. Besides they will yell at us if they hear the music and know we didn't invite them."

"Oh yeah…" Rick leans over to the table and grabs a small device. He points it upwards and presses two buttons at once. "Sound dampener. Usually for when I have to… to test weapons. Some things the family should be separate from you know?" He throws you a wink.

You crack your neck and close your eyes, searching inward for lyrics and rhythms that you have been storing for decades. With all the fighting and fabrication you rarely had time to sing for anyone. You missed it greatly. The rush of the lights and the crowds. The way the music in you moved your body, taking you to another place away from the worry and fear. Your body starts to sway, eyes still closed as a particular set of lyrics come to mind. A beat from long ago is tapped out against your leg. Words are swirling and you open to give them a voice. Low notes to high. Slow to a building pace that echoes and turns back to sway the body again. Hands move through the air feeling the flow of notes and then raise up as your head sways with the rest of the body. The words don't register as they were written long ago and placed into memory. The tune is what always drove you.

And then the heat turned on. The swirling fire that lapped at your legs to follow upwards swallowing you whole. A torrent of hot air enters you and the music changes, shifts as you hear a guitar join in to create a new phrase. Eyes still shut, you explore this new turn in rhythm to match the melody and add harmonious notes to compliment. Your ears pick up the subtle switches in tempo. It's arousing to be challenged like this. A part of your soul that has never been appreciated before. A part of your soul you thought long gone. The fire is intense. More so now then the continuous build of almost five decades. Your voice stops suddenly as your legs give way and you fall to the ground. Emotions are crashing against you at your revelation. Guilt is drowning you as tears stream forth. You feel arms wrap around you. You hear the soothing voice and worry.

Your mind is buried in the guilt and shame of your actions these last days. The desire and flames so soon after your loss. How dare you? Your heart starts to pound and you can't catch your breath. The room is spinning. You think you see your Rick in the corner of the room, angry with you. That can't be him. You know it's not. And then a prick at the arm followed by hot fluid draws your attention elsewhere. As you look at your arm, a needle pulls out, blood and clear liquid trail down after. Your head gets fuzzy and you can breathe again. The heart slows. You see Rick above you; worry in his eyes. His mouth is moving… something about leaving… don't leave… The fatigue sets in and you let it take control. You sink to the liquid placed within you; floating now and not drowning.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

The Refrain

For the second time in less than a week, you wake up on the living room couch with that same blanket wrapped around you. The fog starts to lift as you hear two voices arguing. The words don't register but you hear Rick's angry voice raise. You don't like him angry… you worry he will do something stupid; he is so much like you… As you try to sit up, you are met with strong hands that catch you before you tumble to the ground. A giggle escapes. _This is some good shit…_ you giggle inside your head. The room spins again and you fuzz out.

This time when you awake, you are in Rick's bed and the room is dark. You rub your head and sit up, allowing the blanket to fall to your waist. The fog is starting to lift and you make your way to the bathroom. Inside you close the door and stare at yourself in the mirror. You look like crap. Face is pale and eyes are red. Dark bags hang under your eyes and even your eye color looks tired and pale. You rest your forehead against the mirror and decide that a shower will help clear you up.

The hot water hits your face to race down the body and circle around a drain before making its exit. You spend some time watching it and not thinking. Your head is clearing and you are starting to remember what happened before the break. Guilt. Shame. Should you stop it now with him? But you don't want to. You feel complete for once. You feel at ease that you are being understood and seen for who you are. It was almost as if your past was prepping you for this… and your hand grips your mouth. You start to cry again, trembling at that thought. You realize that you still love him… you still value every moment spent with him… but now…

The door opens to the bathroom and you see a large shadow approach the curtain. Rick pulls back a small section to check in on you, worry showing on his face. You extend a hand to him.

"Join me." you say quietly. Rick takes a moment to look at you, then starts undressing. You watch as he locks the door and steps out of his pants. The body walking towards you is slim, barely showing the length of muscle you know is there. The light blue hair still trails downward… His hand lifts your chin.

"My eyes are up here babe…" he winks and you laugh. Rick joins you in the shower to wrap his arms around you from behind. You rest your head backwards against his chest and run fingers across his arms. No words are said. You are just being held. No fire ignites. He was worried and you can feel that emotion seeping out of every pore. You are comforted by his embrace. "I was afraid…" Rick's voice cracks slightly. You turn in his arms, raise hands to his face and pull him down for a kiss. "I don't want to lose you…" a whisper escapes, barely heard.

"I wasn't prepared for… for the truth. Singing always makes me more… vulnerable. I let… down my guard. I let… myself… feel." Rick's hand moves to your face to trail along your lips.

"You were mumbling things… I didn't like what I heard. I need…" Rick shakes his head and kisses you again. After a break, you rest your head against his chest to listen to his heart beat.

"I loved singing with you. I have never been that… stimulated before. It was like heaven. That's when the guilt hit. I've barely been here a week. I'm not replacing him. I know I'm not. I don't even think of you two as the same person anymore. You're _soooooo_ different. _You_ are the missing pieces from…" Your voice stops. You were rambling, not really thinking of what you were saying or the implications. You were merely giving voice to your inner thoughts. You can hear Rick's heart speed up and you lift your head. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah… yeah. I haven't helped…" he looks to the side.

"I fell into the teasing, the playing… the heat. I don't regret a thing." You smile, finally feeling it reach your eyes. Rick starts to smile as well.

"Me neither. Not one bit." He leans down to kiss you as his hands move along your body. The water feels scalding as your fire expands to his touch. "Fuck… you drive me crazy…" You start to laugh and feel a blush cover your face. Rick smiles back at you and turns off the water, helping you out of the shower and into a towel. He lays a kiss on your head and grumbles "Now I remember why I hate living with others… That's three times now… I could have done soooooo much to that body by now."

"I hate you. You really didn't have to say that. Really…" your face blushes harder as you notice his towel has a bulge. Rick shakes his head, breathes out, curses again and pushes you out the door, closing it behind. You laugh and walk to his room alone, in search of more clothes. Morty is waiting by the door with his back turned. _Shit_ … "Hey Morty."

"Oh hey Tess. I was looking for…" and that was all he got out as he turned around to see you standing with a towel wrapped around your body, hair wet. You see his jaw drop along with his eyes. A smile appears on your face as you note how another one of Rick's genes shows itself.

"Rick?" You reply. "He's taking his turn in the shower. I need to borrow some more clothes from Summer. Is she in her room?"

"Rick? Summer? Ummmmm…" Morty trails off and you can almost feel his level of comfort fading. _Poor boy_.

"Morty…"

"Yeah!" He recovers with a quick shake of his head. "Summer is in her room now. Sorry…" Not wanting to embarrass the kid more, you walk past him to Summer's room. Once inside you close the door and sit down on the bed next to Summer who was texting a friend. She looks up and one brow raises.

"Morty."

"Morty." She repeats and rolls her eyes. Summer points you in the direction of her clothes and you search for a tank top and another pair of jeans. "Go ahead and dress in here. I don't care. Let's not give Morty a heart attack huh? Not like he hasn't seen boobs before… guys."

"Yeah. And it's not like I'm built or falling out here…" You look down to make sure you were not falling out. Summer notices and laughs.

"Oh my god. Right? Soon Morty will be like all the other creeps though. Dumping their girlfriend for big boob broads who will say yes…" Summer rolls her eyes and starts looking through a magazine.

"Ouch. Had that happen huh? Sucks. You're such a catch too. His loss." You shake your head and get dressed. You never dated anyone else to have a guy dump you over the size of your boobs. _Then again,_ you thought, _he would never live long enough to tell anyone._

"Wow Tess. That's like, a lot of scars." Summer cocks her head and you look behind to see her staring at the mirror. Your back was covered with both light and heavy scars.

"Shrapnel, plasma bursts, and light whipping…" you watch Summer's face in the mirror as it slowly turns red and she throws a pillow at you.

"Ewe… gross!"

"Just kidding…" You both laugh as you decide to remain with her for a bit to get your mind focused on other things. The conversations with Summer always vary and drift in and out of each other. It takes a lot of concentration to follow all the threads to complete one topic. It's a nice refrain. After an hour or so, Beth's voice was heard yelling at the kids that it was lunch time. Heading downstairs, you hear Rick ask if the family wanted to go out for a while. Summer bounces past you, winking, telling the family that it was a great idea to get out of the house. You smile as they head out the door. Rick walks over to you slowly.

"We have two options… I know which one I want…" his eyes trail up and down your body. "But we really need to do the other first." Rick turns on his heel and walks out to the garage. Confused, you follow and see him create a portal on the floor. The green plasma-like energy swirls around to form an oval on the ground. Rick grabs you by the hand. "I have a surprise for you. Do you trust me?"

"Of course." You reply as Rick walks you over to the portal. You jump in with him and feel a rush come over your body and then your feet hit the ground.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

The Promise

The sun hits your face with a warm glow as you shield your eyes with one hand. Turning around, you gasp as both hands cover your mouth. The landscape in front of you was amazing. Animals were roaming the vast field before you as large winged beasts soared through the sky. The air was fresh and held the slight scent of flowers carried by the breeze. A memory triggered and you could swear that those flowers were white with a royal blue center. Looking up at the sky brought you to tears. Rick walked up to embrace you from behind.

"I found your home world babe. This one has no intelligent life. Not for centuries. Civil war. _Everyone_ should know… where they come from." His voice was quiet, a whisper in your ear.

"I always dream of purple skies… and that smell…" You break away from Rick's arms and take off running into the wind, following the flowers. As you look behind, you see Rick walking slowly after you with a smile on his face, taking a drink from his flask. You feel like a kid again as you chase that smell. Then a wall of reddish green vines blocks you, winding up a massive tree. Along this vine are small white flowers with a royal blue center. You stand there in shock. Rick walks past you to pluck a single flower. He rolls it over in his hand, turns around and places it in your hair.

"I will protect you with everything I have." His eyes were suddenly serious. "You're… you're stuck with me now." Rick pulls you into his arms and kisses you. Your heart speeds up, knowing he will.

"Actually, _you're_ the one stuck with _me_. I'm dimensionless remember?"

"Not anymore babe. I think my family adopted you…" Rick smiles, winking at you.

"Just the family?" You purr as you slowly walk into him, kissing his neck as you undo the belt at his waist. Rick's breath quickens as your hand slips into his pants and past the underwear. He is getting hard in your grasp as you lower your body in front of him, pulling the garments down. Rick's hands twist in your hair as a moan escapes his lips. He is straight as a board as you bring your head below to lightly run your tongue under the length. A gasp escapes as you smile before wrapping your mouth around that tender mound of flesh while holding him at his base. Rick curses above you, his hands tightening against your head. Your other hand cups the flesh dangling below, twisting gently as you take the length of him within your mouth. You savor the saltiness and heat, taking your time with tongue playing along veins to meet the tip again with lips. Rick is breathing heavier and you tighten the grip around his base. There was always something you wanted to do… and you think _he_ would really appreciate it.

A couple of thrusts accompanied by the tightening of both hands and you go down to his base allowing teeth to apply gentle pressure against the flesh. Carefully you glide the teeth along the length and wait halfway for a response. You didn't have long to wait as Rick cursed out above you begging for more. More than happy to oblige, you continue with the slight pressure of teeth until you reach the tip. You continue this motion a couple more time in session, feeling his grip tighten in your hair. Tongue takes over to swirl around the tip and Rick pulls your head away, breathing hard. You look up at him and see wild eyes as he lifts you up quickly to stand before him.

Hands pull and lift at clothing, discarding the items to the ground until you are standing naked along with him. Rick lowers you to the ground kissing down your neck to suck on that same spot. You chuckle at the thought of a permanent hickey. While he is pulling at the skin, you raise your hips to meet his body, enticing him. Rick pulls away from the neck and growls as he wraps arms behind your legs and brings them up to your chest with one swift motion. No more foreplay as Rick slams into you. The fire ignites and builds with each thrust. Colors expand and you feel the hunger grow. He lifts your hips enough that he is pushing against that spot once discovered by fingers alone. Your hands tangle in his hair as you curse the sky begging for more. Rick lowers his head and mumbles something about this only being the beginning.

The pulse from within guides your hips as you help lift them in time with his pushing. Stars explode as you start to tighten with eagerness. Rick pulls out, slaps you on the hip and barks for you to turn over. You were so close to coming that you growl out a couple of curses as you turn around on hands and knees. Those curses turn to cries of pleasure as Rick pushes in from behind, the new angle driving him harder against that most sacred spot. His hands grab your shoulders to lift you off the ground, knees digging into the wet soil while his knees push in between yours, providing support. Once upright, Rick's hands move to your hips to lift you up and push you back down the length of him. After you pick up the rhythm he is able to release your hips and move his hands to grab your breasts; your hands move to grip his arms. His mouth is by your ear as he describes what he wants to do to you. His words are heavy with desire as he talks in swears; those words alone are pushing you to the edge. The angle and length and phrases repeat again and again as the fire explodes within. You sit fully on him as the convulsions tense around his length, bringing a shudder to his body. A cry passes your lips as his fingers twist around nipples to bring another wave of pleasure following the one from deep below.

Rick pulls you off suddenly into a standing position and turns you around. This puts him in perfect position to take advantage of all the things he whispered about. Hands grab your ass and pull you forward to an eager mouth. The tongue that promised pleasure is now fulfilling it, running along the ridges and flicking at the tip. You spread your legs to give more access as a hand moves in front and inside. Both of your hands now take a turn to grip hair as you cry out how amazing he is. Another orgasm hits you quickly and you hear a dark chuckle from Rick. Your knees are starting to wobble and he gently moves you to straddle him. Lips, tongue and heat explore your mouth as he lifts you up and lays you back against the ground.

This time around Rick takes his time entering you, slowing each thrust while fully pressed against your body. His hands grip and separate your ass as his breathing increases against your neck. Your hands dig into the flesh of his back feeling that swirling passion encompass you both. You feel Rick's movements become faster, harder and longer as he repeats how much he needs you. Sensations fill you from the thrusting below to the tongue that is now delivering its expertise within your mouth. Each thrust pushes you closer yet again. You scream out for him to finish, to take what is his… and he slams in holding that position as his contractions send you over as well.

"You… are… mine…" Rick growls against your neck.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

The Visit

Upon your return to the garage, you push the button to access his lab once again. Rick follows you in, turning on lights as you walk towards the computer terminal. You flick on the device and the layers of inter-dimensional galactic maps comes into view. Entering the data you saw from Rick, you are able to narrow the maps to your specific dimension. Rick stands behind you, watching.

"You remembered that string of data?"

"Of course. Why wouldn't I?" you reply back as you locate a planet and zoom in on specific coordinates. "Numbers are easy to memorize. Just like music, in a way. I assign each a note on the scales and sing it out. Sometimes the music I hum is actually mathematical equations or schematics of weapons I had created."

"Fuck that's hot babe…" Rick chuckles. "What are you looking up?"

"You said you wanted to see my lab… this is it." You point to a section on the planetary map in the middle of a forest.

"Alright. Let me input thURRP, that into the portal gun… And awaaaaay we go!" The portal opens up against the wall and Rick motions for you to walk through first. "Sexy ladies first."

"Gee… thanks…" you say flatly. Going through a portal is a weird experience, especially when you fell into one before. This time, walking through was a whole new feeling. It was like walking through jelly with nothing sticking to you. There is a pop in the ears as you change from one environment to another and a disorientation as your body adapts to the slight changes in atmosphere and gravity. Coming out the other side, you smile as the familiar scene envelops you. Many times you came to this lab, spending months crafting, building and shipping weapons to various sites to support the ongoing fight for freedom. The entrance was hidden behind various tech, each designed to camouflage the area, helping it match the local flora and fauna. Beasts could be seen drinking out of a nearby stream that was purely a hologram. There was even a simulator that replicated the breeze, sounds and smells of the environment. Another field was installed to the surrounding area of the lab that created a small disorientation feeling in whomever approached, causing many to turn away.

You look at Rick and ask him to find the doorway, wondering if he was able to see past your extra security measures. You watched silently as Rick tested the boundaries of the disorientation field, felt around and located the environmental simulators and then brought up the control panel. Rick waved his hand over the panel which asked for identification. He leaned in and stated his full name; the door opened up.

"Sweet layout babe… Love the, the extra security measures. The field was a niURRP, nice touch. Easy ID though…" He winked, pulling out his flask to take a drink.

"Now that's what _I_ call fucking hot…" You walk straight into Rick's body and kiss him deep. As you turn to enter the door, you hear Rick exhale.

"Shit babe… You, you just had your way with me… and now you're fucking with me again…"

"Poor baby," you call back, turning on the lights and closing the door behind him. "I can stop if you like… didn't know you had performance issues…"

"Bitch… try me. I'll show you a… a performance _issue_ …" Rick took another swig, a big smile still on his face. A larger smile played upon your face though, when you see Rick look around the building.

The main room was a production line for mass creation and assembly of any weapon placed into the main computer. This was the main warehouse, lined with machines for creating various inner pieces, outer shells, and final assembly. You see Rick running hands along the conveyor belts, picking through various leftover pieces and whistling.

"Vibranium… sweet. Must have been crafting some mother fuckin' tough guns in here."

"Yeah. That was for the last planet we assisted. The Federation had sent in these massive tanks built to level whole cities. We needed something large to punch a hole through it for the soldiers to enter. Man… that was a bitch of a build." You rub the back of your neck remembering how much of a kick the thing had. Along the back wall, a set of panels lit up upon your approach and you enter the string of codes to access the elevator. Rick joins you as the doors close and you start your downward decent. After a couple of minutes, Rick looks to you asking how deep this thing went.

"Depends on your perception of _deep_ …" You wink at Rick as he chuckles. "My main lab is about 200 yards below. Learned the hard way when my last lab was destroyed after the enemies bombed the warehouse. Now I build below. This way I still have my lab. Now remember, this thing is thirty years in the making. My home away from home. There would be times I would spend months locked away down here."

"Sounds lonely…"

"Naw… I was busy designing so time flew by. And I was able to video chat with the hubby every night. He would usually be as busy as I was… But we made the time to chat."

"Now I really hate him…" Rick takes another swig as a sour face appears. You grab the flask and take a swig as well, capping it and handing it back.

"You hate him? But he is basically you… So do you hate yourself then?"

"That's beside the point babe. All Ricks haURRP, hate themselves. Yours I hate more. I wonder if he… he even knew what he haURRP, had. Fuck, I wouldn't have left you alone for so… so long. _I_ can barely keep my haURRP, hands off ya. To be without for months… fuck no." Rick ran a hand through his hair as you just stared at him. Such an honest statement from him. On one level it made your heart ache; you had often thought the same thing. On another level, it made you realize how fast you were falling in love with this guy.

"I…" you start to let him know how you feel when the door opened up and Rick was walking out, mouth falling open to the space before him. You decide to leave it and walk out going to the side room which held the living quarters. Rick disappeared off to the right where your main testing facility was. That was where you field tested the weapons for accuracy after your Rick sent you the power source and various ammunition. Where you went led to a small kitchen and living room and then off to a bedroom. You enter the bedroom first, pulling out a large duffel bag and filling it with clothing. Then you access a small safe in the closet and take out several hundred Earth dollars for Beth. Last was the kitchen to open up a bottle of bourbon and take a long drink as you sit on the couch waiting for Rick. Half the bottle was gone by the time he returned to you, sitting on the couch and grabbing the bottle to finish off the rest.

"Fuck babe. That was amazing. Nice digs." Rick takes a long gulp then looks at the label. "Good shit."

"Thanks. It's a bit heavy for me. Forgot I haven't eaten." The liquor was making that fuzzy feeling in the pit of your stomach.

"Why did you drink so much then? You… you alright babe?" His voice sounded worried.

"Just thoughts… bad ones… fucked up ones… and then not so… fucked up ones. I'll miss this place. But I don't ever want to… return you know? I want to start clean. Maybe. I love this place… I really do…" Your mind was racing.

"I can program this exact location into the portal device babe. Then we can bypass everyURRP, everything and come straight here. If… if you want."

"I like that actually…" You were grateful for the suggestion. This way you didn't have to be reminded of everything else. It was just this place where you held no memories of your Rick coming in and… you shake your head at the thought. You see Rick watching you and decide to change the subject. "If you like, you can hop on the main computer and see what's going on… See what happened to Earth and all that shit. I, URRP, I want to remain here… not knowing." You lay back on the couch and close your eyes.

"You rest babe." You watch as Rick leaves the room and then you close your eyes. Although you finished off half the bottle, it still wasn't enough to let you sleep peacefully for more than an hour before the nightmares hit you, rolling you off the couch and onto the floor in a sweat.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

The Smoke

Rick comes around the corner as you sit back on the couch rubbing your elbow. He sits down and pulls you into his arms, smoothing back your hair. The embrace helps ease the pain of the past as you came out of your sleepy state.

"Gotta make something to help you sleep babe. This… this isn't good for you."

"Says the man who doesn't believe in sleep…"

"Never said that… I just said it was a waste of tiURRP, time." Rick kisses the top of your head. "Well, that was a shit storm I just read through. Wanna know any of it?"

"Sure." You say quietly. Fear rose up while waiting to hear if Earth was destroyed or not.

"Okay. Your neighborhood block was destroyed. But a lot of the people survived the attack. Apparently you not only killed all attackers, you saved the day as well." Rick stated the last in air quotes. "So you didn't kill innocent people babe. The attackers on the ground were killed and the ships all left when you escaped through that portal. No other attacks were made to Earth. They are still trying to figure out what happened. All bodies were either set on fire by the enemy or taken before the authorities could arrive. There is an APB out for you by the way…"

"Sweet…" you tried to lighten the mood, failing. You were happy that only the attackers were killed during your rage, but still felt guilty for bringing them there in the first place.

"It also looks like these attackers have been busy visiting other places as well. My _friends_ cross referenced the places and they match up to known locations of your Rick. They attacked all those places as well… heavy casualties." Rick said quietly.

"Fuck…" You sit up suddenly asking, "Bird World? Are they alright?"

"Bird World?" his brow lifts, "You know of Bird World?"

"Yeah! Out of all the places we helped, this was the one I felt the most at home with. The people there were so amazing… really took to the lessons we taught and really worked on the rehabilitation of their planet. They really cared for what they had and grew as a nation. There was so much destruction when we first got there. It was our first mission that started us helping people. We got there too late. So much gone…" You look to Rick to see his face go blank as he withheld his emotions. Something was wrong. It took a minute before Rick talked.

"My best friend was from there. I made it in time to help save them before crap got blown up. Spent a lot of time there too." He was far too silent.

"Rick? Is this about BirdPerson?" You watch his face and see his eyes start to tear up. "You knew him too huh?"

"Yeah. Fuck. Thought I was over this shURRP, shit. He died recently. His fucking wife was an undercover agent! His mother fuckin' WIFE!" Rick yelled out, the tears replaced with anger. He pulls out his flask, taking a long swig then looks to you. "Sorry babe. You knew him then. Obviously since I was the one who gave him that nick name."

"Excuse me? _You_ named him? _I_ named him. My Rick thought it was an insult… Thankfully BP didn't." This time you see Rick crack a small smile. "Anyway… My BP… um… died after the war. He… didn't take the death of his soul mate too well. He…" you lean over and take a swig from the flask, the memory still sore, "he killed himself. I tried to stop him… we had fought side by side for months. I thought he was past it all… or at least willing to move on. And then he visits me one night… and then… then…" You stop talking, shaking your head at the memory. You didn't want to tell Rick that BP told you he had fallen in love with you. You didn't want to tell him that your refusal pushed him over the edge. You didn't want to tell him that he killed himself in front of you…

"Crap… fuck babe. You okay?" Rick was rubbing his thumb in small circles on the top of your hand. You look down and start to feel a warmth spread. It calms you and you smile, pushing away the memory. Rick didn't need to know.

"Yeah, I'm good. Too many friends lost you know?" You look up at Rick and again consider about letting him know how you feel. His eyes meet yours as he leans in to kiss you. The heat from those lips pulls you away from your thoughts as your breath quickens.

"Got all your shit together?" Rick whispers.

"Yeah. You didn't answer me…"

"Bird World was not on any of those lists. No worries." You lean against Rick, pulling your legs up on the couch. He wraps an arm around you, whispering something above you that you can't make out.

"What?" you ask starting to feel your eyes droop. You were always so relaxed in his arms. You felt like sleeping.

"Nothin' babe. Fall asleep. Gonna… gonna watch tv for a while… see what I can find out." You could feel that Rick was hiding something but didn't press. If he wanted you to know, he would tell you. Soon you drifted off to sleep; peacefully.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

The Truth

"Sanchez…" you heard from the tv as you sit up, rubbing your eyes. Rick turns off the screen and looks at you smiling.

"You slept for about two hours babe. Good."

"What was that on the news? I heard our last name…" You are still groggy as you stretch and look to Rick. He is smiling, a warm look on his face. You get confused and ask "Something wrong?"

" _Our_ last name huh?" Still with that goofy smile.

"Yeah… remember? Married? I'm a Sanchez."

"Still? I thought you would have switched back."

"Back? To what? I had no last name. Didn't even know my first name. K'tan never really called me anything. So I gave myself a name. Somewhere someone was talking about an old song… had the words, the rain is Tess… I love the rain so Tess it became."

"K'tan? Is that the guy who was watching over you?" Rick's brow furrowed in thought as he brought up a data pad, typing.

"Watched over me? He was the one who brought me there and had me sleep in the same apartment. I fed myself, cleaned myself, found a fucking job. He spent all the money on drugs and gambling. And then that fucker turned nuts on me…" You stop talking. You never brought this up with your Rick and now you were unsure what to tell this one. Your heart starts to sink thinking of the consequences of your actions from so long ago. What if he held the same values as your Rick? What if he looks at you different? What if… and you decide to let it go.

"Babe… there's something you're not telling me. I feel the conflict." he pauses thinking. "I mean, I can actually fucking _feel_ your conflict. Wow…" You stare up at Rick shocked that this part of the bond happened so fast for him.

"Part of the bond… that was fast…" Rick looks at you seriously while you talk.

"Stop. No side tracking. Tell me." Rick's voice was stern.

"Things weren't always alright…" You begin, worried about the outcome but glad he pressed. You've held this in for so long. It might be good to let it out. "For the majority of the time, he ignored me. Then… then he didn't. It started when I was around eight I think. He would watch me…" Your voice goes quiet. "He stopped talking to me." You bring your knees up to your chest. "He would mumble to himself about not caring. How this was fucking unfair. How he never deserved this… mission." You're holding on to your knees and looking at the space in front of Rick. He moves closer but is not touching; just waiting. "One night… I was having trouble sleeping. The sounds of the street were loud because of the holiday party. The night was humid. The fan was barely working and making a weird buzzing noise. He came into my room. That light from the kitchen was blinding. I could only see a shadow. He was naked. He was playing with himself watching me on the bed… I didn't move. I was frozen while he said nasty things he wanted me to do to him. I was scared." Your voice starts to crack and Rick lays hands gently on your knees. "I bolted up and ran between his legs out of the room. He followed me, cursing. I went to the kitchen. He wanted to touch me. I knew that couldn't happen. He said to fuck with the rules. I went for the drawers. I grabbed something. I struck again and again and again. Blood covered the room, the floor, my face… He stopped moving. I kept striking him. Then the blood made the knife slick and I couldn't get it out and I fell to the side in the blood…" Rick pulls you into an embrace as you shudder. There are no tears. You cried all those out long ago.

"Fuck…"

"I ran. I started again in another city. Found that bar to sing at. Got money to live. Law enforcement found him and ruled it as foul play over a drug deal gone bad. I never said anything. To anyone. Not until now. Fuck… not until now."

"Sounds like an asshole… deserved to die. Deserved to be tortured then killed. Maybe sodomized then killed. Seriously sodomized… by a large man with hairy knuckles…" Rick whispers into your ear while holding you. The unexpected declaration shocks you and you start laughing. You never expected this reaction. Your Rick could never understand how killing people during battle was even possible for you. He had no issues being behind the scenes, knowing his weapons killed. After that incident, you never had problems taking another life. That shock was over. And now… this Rick…

"Gods Rick… I thought… I thought…" your laughing subsides as you look into his eyes, turning serious. "Thank you for that. You have no idea…"

"Fuck babe… we _all_ have had shitty things happen to us. Wish I could have had the balls to kill someone early in my life as well…"

"Your dad?" You reply silently as Rick openly stares at you.

"I guess he told you then… I'm surprised. I've told no one."

"Yeah… told me what a bastard he was. Rick said he left before school was over. Flew off and never looked back."

"I didn't. I stayed. I was asked to. And then it happened… I should have dealt with it sooner." Rick remained quiet for a while and then looked up at you with a smile. "You're braver then I ever was." He separated your knees and leaned in for a kiss. Hands raised to your face and the kiss deepened as a brighter fire enveloped you. You felt safe and warm and loved.

"Do you feel different about me now? Knowing what you know?" Your voice is barely a whisper, your eyes avoiding his gaze. You savored that kiss and wanted it to continue forever. Now you had to know.

"Different?" Rick sits straight and looks at you puzzled. "Why would I feel different? Because you killed the bastard who would have done something horrible to you? If I was there he wouldn't have a dick anymore… it would have been shoved up his own ass." Rick shakes his head as you smile warmly. "Now I really hate that fucking husband of yours… If you are asking me this… it means that _he_ would have thought of you differently…" Rick is echoing your very thoughts right now and your heart speeds up at the implications. "Was he a pansy ass that couldn't stand killing others? Pathetic! Fucker! Son of a Bitch! You want to know if I feel differently?" Rick was yelling now, but it only brought the heat in you to a boiling point. You felt love from this anger. "Huh? Do you? Well I fucking do bitch; I love you!" He grabs you behind your head and pulls you into a kiss that melts you from the core.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

The Discovery

You awake the next morning wrapped within Rick; his arms and legs surrounding you on the couch. After his declaration you spent the rest of the night exploring each other, the fire exploding within both. You found that you could now sense his emotions and it was easy for you to adjust, making those feelings expand while Rick struggled to keep his stamina. A wicked smile crosses your mouth as you remember Rick cursing at you for making things more difficult. Unfortunately you also found that he could do the same with you. It made sex a lot more intimate and turned it into a torture game of who could outdo the other.

As you stretch out, Rick stirs behind you and pulls you back.

"We never end up on a bed huh?" Rick smiles while kissing you.

"Ha… never realized that one… Maybe next time…" you kiss him back running your fingers through his hair. Rick smiles at the motion and looks again at the hickey mark still visible.

"I have another idea for that spot on your neck babe. Bear with me as I leave it alone for a couple of days." Rick was studying the area as you nod.

"Fine… So what is on the docket today?" You sit up on the couch and start dressing from the clothing scattered around the floor.

"We need to find a pattern with where your people are attacking. So far… no Ricks have reported that your peeps are asking for anything. Attacks are so bruURRP, brutal that no one can figure out if they were looking for anything either. But there is… is a definite repetition to them visiting sites you were at." Rick watches you dress as he talks with you, remaining naked on the couch.

"Alright… the best bet would be for me to make myself useful." You walk over to the kitchen area and start making breakfast for the two of you.

"Fuck… that's right bitch. Love a gal who knows how to make herself useful in the kitchen…" He leans against the back of the couch, still naked.

"Bastard! You want me to hurt you?" The evil glare coming from you makes Rick laugh.

"Oh babe… _please_ come here and hurt me. I've been a… a _baaaaaad_ boy…" he wiggles his brow as you roll your eyes.

"Oh gods, what have I created?"

"A monster who is obsessed with that fine ass body of yours…" Rick starts to get dressed and joins you in the kitchen. He starts going through the fridge and helps cook. The two of you run through the routine of making eggs, bacon and pancakes without stepping on anyone's toes or bumping into each other. You work as one in the small kitchen without thinking. This does not go unnoticed by you and you smile warmly.

"Thank you." You approach Rick and grab his shirt, kissing him while he struggled to set the pan back down on the oven. You release and start plating food before he had that chance.

"Fuck… I'm going to really hate that. Don't even give me a… a chance." Rick plates what is in his pan and grabs you from behind. "What were you thanking me for by the way?"

"Just everything. _Especially_ this morning. If it _is_ morning… You cooking with me. I like that. I _love_ that."

"Another point to hate him for… domestic bliss or lack thereof. Fuck babe, use to _love_ doing this with Diane. It's nice to just work on something together… both people on the same page…" You smile. It doesn't bug you as much as you thought it would to hear about Diane. It was better to hear the good instead of the pain they caused each other towards the end.

"Yeah. Together." After you both sat at the raised bar next to the kitchen eating, you return to your previous thought. "I need to make myself more useful by baiting them…" Rick drops his fork on the plate, staring at you.

"Fuck NO!" He yells out. "There is no fucking way I'm going to let you become bait."

"What the hell? I've done it before…" You look into his wild eyes.

"Done it _before_? Awe man no fucking way… He _let_ you?"

" _He_ did not have a choice in the matter and neither do you! We need to find out what is going on and make sure more innocent lives do not get lost! They are attacking these places I've spent my life protecting. It's a fucking insult!" Now it was your turn to get angry, standing at the counter facing Rick with challenging eyes.

"That doesn't fly with me babe!" Rick stands up right next to you, staring down. He was damn intimidating, that was for sure. Staring up into his eyes though, you realize that you both have an intense stubborn streak.

"Then give me something to work with here… I can't just let this continue to happen…" You purposefully back down from the argument, knowing he was never going to.

"I thought you no longer cared about this dimension… that everything you loved was gone so fuck it…" Rick didn't want to let things go it seemed. The truth struck you though. You did say that. You meant it too. But after learning about the attacks…

"Okay, okay. You made a point. I guess I'm not a heartless bitch after all. Fuck! Rick! I can't let this continue!" You start pacing around the living room, forgetting about your hunger.

"We will find a way to lure them out later babe." Rick's voice turned calm and slow. You turn to face him; pacing stopped. "We need information. They want to kill you. They want you to come out of hiding. But why? You left them when you were young. You… you said that that pervert called it a mission? That means he was chosen… You were told not to… to touch anyone or something bad would happen. He believed that too. But he knew your touch would not kill. He was willing to… to bypass that shit to fuck you. And then when you do touch, what happens? You create a bond with the guy… Why him?"

"Honestly? I was drawn to him. His eyes watching me. I felt that small heat from within rise when he was listening to me. The same thing I felt when I first woke up in your dimension and you sat next to me. A small increase in heat. I had to have more, to see where it would go. I led him to a secret place that same night I saw him. I… lost it all that night." You blush while looking away.

"Fuckin' A! You go girl! But seriously, you fucked him the first night you see him… Every other waking moment was spent avoiding touching others. You were scared. But you weren't with him. Enough to… you know… do the nasty." Rick winks at you. You never really thought of all this before. It was a shock that you had sex with a guy you just met but then again it never really mattered. You two were together every day after that. Soon you were married. It just was.

"Wow. Never thought of it that way. I felt the same for you too. Is it because you are basically him?"

"Wrong question babe. I am him. The question is always why a Rick? What is so special about me? What happened to the other versions of you? Were they killed? If so, why? Did they even run into a Rick _before_ they died?" You freeze at that declaration. What if the other versions stayed alive? Would they have bonded with a Rick as well?

"Okay. That's a lot to ask about. What happened to my other versions, why a Rick and what does my race want me dead… Is that all?" Walking back towards him, you lay your head on his chest as arms wrap around you.

"We will figure this out. _Without_ risking your life. I can _never_ lose you." Rick leans down to kiss you as you feel a slight fear rise in him for a second, to be replaced with relief. He probably felt that you were giving up on being bait. He was right. How could you knowing the pain it would cause him. Your life has always revolved around Rick. Past and present. You would give that up for nothing; not after losing one Rick already.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

The Find

Walking through the portal a second time was easier; less of a disorientation then the last few times. It is still a bit unnerving moving from one environment into another. Once inside the Smith home garage, Rick leaves to return to his basement lab as you turn and go into the kitchen. Beth is putting away groceries as you place your duffel bag down and head towards her.

"I was able to visit on old lab of mine. I have something for you…" You take out the money and hand it to her, smiling. Beth looks to you and then the money. "For my stay here. Food, room, usage of shower and tv…"

"I don't need you to pay honey. You have been the perfect house guest." Beth looks through the money seeing the bills were hundreds and her eyes grow large. "Absolutely no Tess. Fucking no! This is too much!" She stares up at you trying to hand the money back.

"Beth…" you smile because she is reminding you so much of her father right now; stubborn. "I have no use for this money. I have stockpiles of currency from a lot of planets I visit. This is a small stack for Earth. Please take it. I don't want to be a burden and you have been feeding me amazing food lately…" You wink at Beth as you watch her smile and take the money back.

"Thank you." She embraces you suddenly, catching you off guard. You have never been hugged by someone other than Rick or children and you are not sure what to do. A warm feeling envelops you as you wrap arms around her. _So this is what it's like to have a family_ … you think.

"Awe…" Rick's voice rose behind the two of you. "I want in…" and he wraps his arms around the two of you as Beth giggles.

"Oh dad… stop it! I was being serious here." Her smile was large as she pulled away watching you. Your face was still stuck in thinking mode about what you experienced. "Are you alright Tess?" Rick had put his hands on your shoulders as Beth had pulled away.

"Yeah… yeah. I honestly have never been hugged by another adult. Weird huh? That was… nice. Thank you. Really." You look up at her and smile warmly.

"Never? Why?" Beth crosses her arms in front of her and you notice she is also looking at her dad and where his hands were.

"I'm a fighter. I guess most people who have met me, it was during or after a battle situation. They saw me fight. Not cuddle. They would thank me verbally. Only the kids would rush into my arms. After a while I just thought that was how things went…" Rick wraps his arms around you from behind, a movement to comfort you but you didn't know why.

"Oh my god…" Beth explained tearing up. "You poor girl… no one should ever live their life without hugs from people who care…" You are still unsure why this seems to be bugging everyone else.

"Seriously guys… I'm fine." Beth watches you and then rushes in for another embrace as Rick allows her to join in. You sigh and roll your eyes guessing this is more of a Beth thing. You allow the hug from both ends and hear Rick silently say something to Beth.

"I love you sweetie…"

"Thanks dad. I love you too." Beth backs up, wipes the tears from her eyes and takes the money, heading out the kitchen. "I'm going to deposit this and pick up the kids from school. Thank you again Tess. I really appreciate the help. You are always welcome in my home." After you hear the door shut you look to Rick.

"What… the… fuck… was… that?"

"We never really hug that much…" Rick starts out, rubbing the back of his neck and looking downward. "Regrets you know? Wish I was here more… for her growing up. Better for her to hate me then know why her parents split right? And now… I guess we just need an excuse."

"Wow. Alright. That was interesting… but not unwelcome. Kinda warm and fuzzy." You smile and look at Rick. "Don't fucking do that again… I'm gonna hurl or something." Rick barks out a loud laugh.

"Shit babe… thank fuck you said that. I don't mind the occasional PDA but from family, it's weird. Glad it's not just me." He laughs again and takes a swig from his flask. "Shit, it's running low. Gonna head by the store and pick up some more booze. Wanna come?"

"Naw. I'm going to watch some tv and relax for a bit." Rick eyes you for a minute and then shrugs his shoulders. He leaves out the garage and as soon as you hear the vehicle leave, you run out and access his lab.

Once below you access the main computer terminal and start doing some research yourself. You know that Rick wouldn't mind but lately he has been watching over your shoulder, helping you out. You didn't mind but not being able to learn on your own was driving you nuts. Once seated on the rolling chair, you found that it took a while to figure out how the interdimensional terminal worked. The computer had access to various dimensional news, but you had to input the correct locational data for a specific dimension. Once into the system, you could narrow down the access to the dimension that caught your eye last time you were here. This one had a Tess that was born and traveled to other planets. The first time seeing this was a blur. You wanted to get into the system by yourself to delve into this Tess and see what happened.

Typing in a few parameters, you could locate the planet that she visited on more than one occasion. The high end bar had a security system which took you no time to hack into. There were recordings from the last twenty years available but each subsequent year's data seemed to be corrupted. By the time you got to the date she visited, you found that the clarity was horrible. Clicking onto another program, you select certain characteristics for the computer to look for in the video. Since your own looks are basic, you decide to check for Rick's unique look; spikey blue hair, pale complexion, and white lab coat. After five minutes a ding sounds, and you click on the first window where the video was located. Squinting hard, you can see the blue hair and white lab coat. You sit back from the screen.

"So, there _was_ a Rick in this bar around the same time she was there… Let's see what dimension this is…" Talking to yourself always helped keep things in order before, might as well continue now. Finding out the exact dimensional call sign was harder then it seemed though. You heard other Ricks talk about a letter followed my three numbers. It was not as easy. You discovered that the string contained multiple letters and numbers and followed other strings of numbers that could or could not have something to do with this dimension. You sit back and rub your eyes. Since your Rick never created the portal gun, you two never visited other dimensions and this information was very new and confusing to you. This frustrated you.

After ten more minutes of trying, you decide to open another window and start looking through Rick's data around alternate dimensions, learning everything you could. Losing track of time, you almost jumped out of your seat when you heard Rick cough loudly from behind.

"Shit! Fuck!" you yell out.

"So… this was what you meant by going to watch tv…" Rick pulls the rolling chair away from the terminal, looking through all the windows and playing through the video. "Hmmmmm… nice find here baURRP, babe. Had trouble with labeling the dimension huh?"

"Yeah… it was pissing me off. Started reading up on your notes, learning what I can. Fuck… I should have asked before diving into your notes…"

"No worries. I trust you." Rick said this absently, still mainly focused on the other windows before him. After a couple of minutes, Rick yells out proudly. "Fuck yeah! Got it! You were right about the location of this one… It seems like this particular dimension is a cross variant of another one… Has… has more than the typical short hand destination. This one is… D-4011/c."

"What is mine?"

"D-409." Rick replies. "You're both in the same beginning quadrant designation, close on the central finite curve…" You sigh loudly, frustration rising again at not understanding. "I'll teach you babe." He pulls your chair back to the screen and brings up another window with more research. "Read through this… I'm going to talk to my contacts and see about locating this Rick. Good job babe. Really." He turns the chair around to face him as he leans over you, pulling your chin up to kiss you. A fire sets on your lips as his tongue races inside. One hand grabs your face as the kiss intensifies. You are about to stand up when Rick pulls away shaking his head. "Fuck… give me a couple of minutes babe. Then I'll be back to finish…"


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

The Visit

Hours pass as you study Rick's research around dimensional portals, generating the potential energy required to achieve the power needed to activate a portal gun, and what the central finite curve was. Rubbing your eyes and looking at the time surprised you… a part of you was waiting for Rick to return for the second part of that kiss. The fact that you have been plugging away meant that he got caught up in other things. Probably related to the search for the D-4011/c Rick. Stretching in the chair, you slowly get up and feel the fatigue set in. It was time to rest up, get food and possibly a shower. As you walk to the elevator you see a mess of blue hair covering the pillow of a cot located in a back weapons room. You shake your head and walk into the room.

"Wow… that tired huh?" you smiled as he raises his head to look at you. His eyes stare through you as he rises from the cot, clears the distance between you two and pulls you in for a deep kiss. His hands wrap around you tightly, your chest pressed hard enough to hear his racing heartbeat. You snake your hands upwards to twist fingers through his hair like always. A groan escapes from him as he pushes you against the nearby wall. Then his hands raise up your sides, along your arms and to your wrists. He breaks the kiss to move to your neck as his hands press your wrists against the wall, pinning them. You let out a small laugh as he starts to suck on the tender flesh below the ear…

Then it hits you. A sudden panic raises within you. There is no heat. There is no sharing of emotion. He is going to the place he just said he was going to leave alone. You try to pull your hands away from the wall but find his strength tightening pushing both your wrists and your body flat against the wall. He raises his head to look into your eyes. Wild eyes meet you as he licks his lips. His face holds a long scar that runs from his left eye to the corner of his mouth. Why didn't you notice this! Your mind is racing as he just stands there staring at you.

"Who the fuck are you!"

"Who the fuck are _you_ …" He looks you up and down then presses his body against yours again. You can feel him hardening against you as he inhales your scent. "You kiss like her… you smell like her… you taste like her…"

"I'm probably not the Tess you know…" You calm yourself; panic was not going to help in this situation. You needed to stall for time. The panic that rose in you must have made it to your Rick by now. It was only a matter of time before he comes in. This Rick obviously knows a version of you.

"Fuck no. You are in _no_ way _mine_ … You're weak. Doesn't matter though." Scar Rick tries to kiss you again as you fight against his tongue trying to force its way through. The fighting, unfortunately, distracted you from a harsh reality soon to prick against your neck. The room goes dark. Your body goes limp. He lifts you up. You see purple and red. Then nothing.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Fear

Your head hurts. Your body hurts. The floor is cold. The room is dark. You struggle trying to recall what happened. There was another Rick… he had a scar… a prick at the neck… a purple and red portal. _A purple and red portal_. You struggle to sit up, the drugs still working their way through your system. Your eyesight returns first and you take a minute to look around you. The room you are in is made from a dark metal reaching ceiling to floor. There are lines within the metal forming into sheets but no visible bolts. No doors or windows and the air feels recycled with that stale after taste. _Must be in space,_ you think. You have spent years traveling from planet to planet to know the feeling of a well-traveled space ship.

As you regain the use of your legs, you stand up to walk around the small room. It was not built to hold crew but cargo. You run your fingers along the lines within the metal sheets and find the area between the sheets where a door would be. Feeling around the outside of the "door" brought you to another panel. This one was easy to find the indentation that pulled back the sheet of metal to reveal a door access. Screws held this one in place and you removed a clip from your hair to unscrew and remove it. Blue, red and yellow wires crossed each other to connect to buttons attached to the front. The language on the front was unrecognizable so you could not determine which button the locking mechanism was. You closed your eyes and recalled old information around wire colors and what they typically related to when wiring a control panel. Then you gave up and disconnected all three. One by one you ran through different connections until the door slid open half way, the control panel smoking. You let out a breath you didn't know you were holding.

As you step through the door you look above to see the lights flicker. Obviously the power within this area of the ship was cut back; would explain the flicker and the stale air. As you walk down the hall, you take note on the multitude of cargo holds. Most were half way open with nothing inside, a few closed and one with the door torn off the ramp and bent out towards the hall. _Whatever was in there got out the hard way…_ You bend over to take a closer look at the edges of the door frame, noting the claw marks from within, and shiver. You hope whatever was in there broke out a long time ago.

The hallway eventually led to an elevator with full power. As you stepped in, you notice that two buttons have been used enough times for them to appear clean next to the dirt and dust covered remainders. You decided to press the top button; it looked interesting. The elevator starts its decent quickly, causing your stomach to turn a bit, reminding you there was no food there if you were going to throw up. With a sudden gut wrenching stop, the doors open and you fall forward onto the clean, well-polished black floor. The lights in this area were bluish and you could make out a large meeting room to the right with a picture window.

Once inside the room, you stare out the window trying to mark where you might be. The stars, however, did not want to cooperate; they weren't in any position that you could remember. The planets in view were off as well; everything pointed to an alternate dimension. A _really_ alternate dimension. You rest your head against the window and close your eyes. Kidnapped. Not like this hadn't happened before. A lot, embarrassingly. You would sometimes use this as a ploy to get into the stronghold and locate the defenses; disarming everything so your troops could attack. Sometimes you got caught by pure accident or stupid decision. But with every instance, you were able to turn things around and benefit from your capture. This time however…

A slow clap echoed through the room as Scar Rick walked through the doors towards you.

"Nice one hun… I knew you would be able to get out of there. Had to test you though. Wouldn't want a retard Tess… Glad you're not. You're such an _amazing_ kisser…" his voice cooed through the room. He rounded the main table to walk right up against you. Standing your ground, you straighten up against him. "Tough too… not afraid. See I was worried…" his finger trails along your lips as he stares at them, licking his own lips, "I felt that panic when you figured things out… what was it that gave me away? I purposely stood in front of the light so you couldn't see my scar."

"The bond gave it away." You refused to give away the neck info.

"Ah, the bond. I felt it when you ran those sweet fingers through my hair hun. You didn't?" His finger moved to your chin, lifting your face to meet his, merely inches away.

"Nope. No heat from you."

"Ha!" he barked out a laugh that turned darker as it kept going. "Heat? Heat huh… No hun. Not heat for us… coldness. Emptiness. Power. You must be the reject then… shame."

"Cold?" you cock your head still looking up at him. You were vastly interested in why this bond presented differently. "You feel a coldness when you are near her?"

"Yeah…" he hesitates when answering, obviously not use to being asked questions. You could tell that he was one who was more comfortable with having people fear him. "And you feel a heat… interesting really."

"Is she here?" You step closer to him, allowing your lips to lightly brush against his. All your knowledge on Rick was going to pay off this time. You knew he was aroused by you, his whole body screamed it as he had walked towards you. The fact that he allowed himself to get this close to you, run fingers against you, meant that you could possibly use this against him.

"Here?" his voice was a breath as your lips pressed against his, your tongue flicking against him to find an open and eager mouth. His hands grab you, lifting you against his body as he kisses you with an intensity that confuses you. Almost like he had been waiting forever for this moment. And then it happens… a slow glow in the depth of your stomach. Scar Rick pulls away suddenly as you drop to the ground shaking your head. "What the fuck was that little girl?" He closes the distance, grabbing your shirt and pulling you to your feet. "What the fuck have you done to me? Is this poison? What!" He was yelling into you, spittle coming from his mouth. He was very distraught.

"Not poison. Not poison." You lift both hands in the air away from him. This anger scared you. Blind rage. He expected you to hurt him. "It's my bond remember? I said heat remember? Not cold. Not cold."

"Fuck…" he lowers you to the ground and looks you over again. "You are NOT like the others." Before you could ask what he meant, Scar Rick pulls you back into an embrace, grabbing a tight hold of your face and kissing you like you would disappear. The heat within rises again as he moans, pulling away from your swollen lips. He lowers his head against your ear and whispers very softly "You need to leave. This is no place for you. Act cold. Act evil. Please…" He lets go of you and takes a moment to stare at you. You quickly nod your head.

 _What the fuck have I gotten myself into…_ you silently wonder as you follow Scar Rick out of the meeting room.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Anger

The two of you walk through the main room and back on to the elevator in silence. Scar Rick presses the lower button and the lift rises suddenly causing you to sway off balance. A quick hand from him sets you back on your feet and you see a sly smile form at the edge of his mouth. _Amusement?_ You find this change in attitude from him strange. This was not the same man you feared moments before. He warned you of things to come. He wanted you to get out as soon as you could. _I need to further this with him… I need an ally inside,_ you remind yourself while staring at the back of his head. Scar Rick starts to flex his hands into fists and punches the control panel causing the elevator to stop suddenly.

"Fuck…" you yell as you are again thrown off guard to have Scar Rick steady you; that sly smile returns.

"We need to set some rules hun." his voice was low and serious. Again with a turn in character.

"Sure… ground rules. Sounds good." you reply back nervously.

"You are indeed a strange one. First you fear me, then you flirt back to gain information, and now you're all nervous. Afraid I'll do something to you… or do you want me to do something to you…"

"I'm not afraid. I'm confused actually. I really don't know what is going on." Honesty. You decided to be candid with him. You wanted to see how he would react. The threat given felt empty.

"Tell me what you know so far…" he leaned against one side of the elevator, one leg crossed over the other, acting casual. His hands were in the pockets of his lab coat as he watched your face.

"I was in a dimension where I was married to a Rick. Then my race came out of nowhere and attacked me. My Rick died protecting me. I fell into another dimension and another Rick saved me."

"Yeah, I know all that…" Scar Rick replied. You stand there shocked. "I placed that portal there. Needed you alive. Not sure where it went though. Glad it was to another Rick. I meant what do _you_ know so far…"

"You put that portal there? You saved me? Did you see what had happened?" You walk up to him as he stands straight.

"I didn't see your Rick die if that is what you are talking about. We were monitoring activity and located them in your dimension. Saw you kicking ass like… normal. So I thought you were like… her. So I put down the portal. Was told…" Scar Rick stops suddenly, shaking his head. "Why the fuck am I telling you all this?" You can see his anger starting to rise. Afraid of the conversation ending before you find out anything else, you continue.

"I was taken away from my race when I was young by a man named K'tan." You hear Scar Rick curse suddenly.

"That fucker? They put you in the hands of a pedophile? A _known_ pedophile?! Shit hun. Did you escape before…" He runs his hands through his hair.

"Yeah. Wow, he was known for that huh? I found out the hard way when I turned eight. Killed him before he could touch me. Was raised believing touching was not alright. That something bad would happen. Met my Rick and touched him. Heat happened."

"Hmmmmm… you weren't told about staying away from guys; just to never touch."

"Yeah. But I felt a draw to my Rick."

"The bond. Yeah." you can almost hear regret in his voice. He leans back against the wall, leaning his head back and closing his eyes.

"It wasn't a bad thing for us. I fell in love. We were married for almost forty five years…" He looks up at you after you say the years. Wonderment is in his eyes as he cocks his head.

"What? Fell in love? Whoa, hun, this is fucked up. No love here. Fucking nothing. I hate her. She's a bitch wrapped in the form of an enchantress. I'd just as soon kill her… if I could." Scar Rick shakes his head. He looks back to you with those wild eyes again and slams you against the other wall, his hand at your throat squeezing hard. "What the fuck are you doing to me!? Get the fuck out of my head you manipulative _bitch_! I would NEVER tell you these things… _never_!"

Against your body's wishes, you relax and do not fight the chokehold against you. You let the tears well up in your eyes. The Tess he knew sounded like a monster and he still believed you were too. In order to live you had to be the opposite around him. Your vision starts to darken when he releases you, catching you before you fall to the floor. He lowers himself to the ground, cradling you against his chest as he breathes heavy.

"I'm… not… her…" you cough out, allowing the tears to fall.

"No… you're not…" and you could hear him starting to cry above you.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Confusion

Scar Rick slowly raises, helping you to your feet, then presses another button as the elevator jerks to the right. Again he grabs your upper arm to help steady you as another curse escapes your mouth. The remainder of the ride was taken in silence, as well as the exit and the walk to a locked door. Scar Rick presses in a code, each button sounding a specific tone which you commit to memory. You follow him into the room, surprised to see living quarters with a huge picture window. Once inside you turn to look at him, unease spreading across you, not sure what he was planning to do.

"Oh, now you don't trust me…" Scar Rick walks up to you with his hands resting casually in his coat pockets. "Followed me all the way here… but then gets worried…" You watch as he looks you up and down, more out of curiosity and not desire.

"I expected you to take me to see _her_ …" You take this moment to examine the layout, looking for possible alternative exits and for anything that might help assist in breaking out. Various pieces of machinery caught your eye as you scan the tables, bits of wire and batteries along the back table, and a smaller table sitting in front of the window with a bowl of fruit. Your stomach growls and Scar Rick chuckles.

"You can have some…" He moves past you, grabs one of the exotic fruits and tosses it to you. While staring into his eyes, you catch the fruit which flew to the left of your peripheral vision. You wanted to make a point. He got it from the sly smile that spread across his face.

"I have no idea what this _is_ actually… Do I bite or peel?" You look over the rough purple skin and hear another chuckle from him.

"Bite hun." A part of you didn't like the look he was giving you; complete amusement. You take a bite and taste one of the best fruits you ever had. The skin was crunchy with the inside juicy, reminding you of an apple that blended into a ripe tangerine. You close your eyes and savor the combination; you had to get more of this when you broke out.

"Wow…" was all you got out before Scar Rick was against you, grabbing your wrists again and pulling them behind you. One hand envelopes both wrists as he pulls your body against him, the other hand grabbing your chin as he kisses you. The juice of the fruit plays along sensuously with his tongue as the flare from within rises in temperature. You hear Scar Rick moan as you are walked backwards against the window. The heat flares again and you curse inwardly at how your bond seems to betray you. You also curse at yourself for kissing him back with the same passion. Your head is spinning and the desire within spreads. Scar Rick is the first to break the kiss.

"Fuck… fuck." He cocks his head staring at you for a second before a wicked smile appears. "Let's try something shall we?" He releases your wrists as he stares into your eyes, backing away from you slowly. You feel the heat just as before and find that you are following him away from the window. You are lost in his eyes. "Kiss me…" the command was quiet and vulnerable. The distance narrows as both hands grip the front of his pants, pulling him the rest of the way against your body as you raise on tip toes to place lips against his. Scar Rick lets you create the pace as you move from a soft kiss of lips to a deeper search of tongue and he growls, throwing you against the bed nearby and pins you down with his body and hands. No other movement comes from him as he lays the top of his head against the pillow to your side. He is breathing heavy as the heat subsides.

"You… asshole!" You take this moment to bring your legs around his waist and twist your body off the bed and onto the floor. You adjust your grip and end up straddling him, pinning his hands to the ground. It was too easy though. Your anger lost when you see tears fall, eyes refusing to meet yours. You let go of his hands and sit up, still straddling him. "Okay… not sure how to handle this. You drive me _nuts_ you know? First I hate you and now I… fuck! Why can't you just let me hate you?" Scar Rick lets out a chuckle and wipes away tears, moving his hands behind his head.

"You really want to know?" His eyes meet yours finally; a haunted look from one who has been abused. A look you had seen in the mirror after you escaped one particular prison.

"Yes. What did you do with the bond? What has happened to you? What do you know?!"

"The bond… easy when you think about it. I manipulated you. Used it against you. Brought the heat back to you to do what I wanted you to. _She_ does that to _us_. So _Ricks_ can do that to _you_ …" The realization hits you. You get off of him, sit on the floor and stare at nothing.

"Any Rick can use it… intensify it… and… use… me?" Your voice starts to crack. You always thought it was special. Something that you felt with your husband and then again because you were better matched to the other Rick. Now you find that you were romanticizing the whole thing. Just a silly girl in the end. Tears start to well up in your eyes and anger at showing him a weakness. What happened next was unexpected. Scar Rick sits up, pulls you against his chest and kisses the top of your head.

"I'm… so… sorry…" You start to cry more, hearing him apologize quietly. "I thought you knew. This is how she gets us to do things against our will. She manipulates us. Makes us do things for sex but then withholds it. She twists our desires around… pain, pleasure, perversion… it's all the same for her." Scar Rick is rambling now; the flood gates have opened and he is finally telling you the truth. "She makes us watch as she… does things… to… others. If we show repulsion, we are punished. If we show that we enjoy it, as long as _she_ wants us to, we are rewarded. It's fucked up… You hate her and desire her and want to fuck her and kill her…" He goes silent above you; the realization of what he has gone through affecting you. The changes in behavior now make sense. He didn't know how to handle you, thinking you were like them and testing the waters to later punish him. Now the bond makes sense to you. She can use it to manipulate Ricks and Ricks can use yours to manipulate you. But you see yours as a way to love.

"I'm not her…" You say as you sit up and hold on to his face. "I don't know how to convince you of that. But I have a bigger problem now…" You release his face, stand up and walk to the window. Your thoughts are getting dark as a new anger fills you. "I want her fucking dead now…"


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Resolution

After the hard crash of reality, Scar Rick left to get you more food and report in that he was still trying to locate you. A part of you wanted to charge in head first with a large gun and obliterate her. Rational thought convinced you that since it had never went well in the past, you shouldn't try it again. You _did_ spend your time going through all the pieces of machinery and wire to start assembling a weapon in case you were met with resistance upon leaving. Leaving, however, would be more difficult than first imagined. _If_ you left the cargo ship, there was nowhere to go in this dimension. You needed to get back to yours; well to your second one. You needed a portal gun, but not one of _hers_ … one of your own.

As Scar Rick enters the room, you hear him silently curse under his breath as you watch him carefully step around the scavenged pieces littering the ground. Watching him walk about made you realize that he was favoring one side, gripping the side of his stomach and grunting when he had to lift his foot higher. You watch him cross the room, set down a tray of food and then work his way to sit carefully on the nearby couch. Without a word you pounce on the couch, yank up his shirt and exhale when you see the poorly bandaged gash across his side. The blood was already soaking through as you carefully remove the bandage and toss it aside. Scar Rick cursed but leaned back to give you better access. The gash was deep enough to require stitches but with none nearby you had to find another way to close the wound or risk infection. Quickly you leave to gather combustible supplies and rip up sheets for another bandage. Rummaging through cabinets you find clear alcohol and you run back to the couch. Setting the supplies along the ground, you pull Scar Rick's legs to get him laid out along the couch.

"Are you trained for this?" He replies in a grumble.

"Shut the fuck up. Fucking paramedic reject… does he want you to get an infection… not even stitches… fucking asshole…" you grumble more and then add, looking in his eyes, "this is going to hurt. A lot!" You pull out the alcohol, take a swig yourself and then pour it over the wound. Scar Rick yells out a curse but keeps his body under control as you lean down to get the other fluids. Quickly you pour one green liquid and one yellow liquid across the wound and set it on fire to cauterize the area. Again Scar Rick yells out but this time his mid-section raises until the fire goes out. As you start to wrap the wound with the sheet bandage, you notice that he is stiff with desire. You remember what he told you about the twisting of pleasure and pain and ignore what you see.

"Shit… that burned like a motherfucker!" He panted out.

"To answer your question… no I'm not a medic. I'm field trained. Had to do this for so many soldiers… I _should_ get my medical degree." You take another swig from the alcohol and offer it to him.

"You've treated other soldiers? You've _commanded_ soldiers?" He questions as he takes a longer swig.

"Yeah… we fought against the Galactic Federation. Helped anyone who wanted to fight instead of cow down to the wishes and desires of others. Provided supplies, weapons, training, and in most cases, tactical leadership. That was my area. Tactics." You see Scar Rick smirk, "don't laugh asshole. I know it's funny right now because I'm captured… But I use to lead troops against all kinds of odds and survived. This is just another field test…"

"I noticed the bastardized weapons forming on the ground. You did all that?"

"Yep. Why? _Your_ Tess can't do this?"

"Her name is not Tess." Scar Rick says sternly.

"No?" You stop cleaning up and look at Rick. You just assumed.

"Kat'Rin. That's _all_ their names. _You_ are the only Tess." He looks directly at you, studying your reaction. It actually makes things better, you admit to yourself. A good way to distance yourself from the craziness that this version of you seems to enjoy.

"Are they _all_ like her then?" You ask silently, afraid of the answer.

"Yes. All of them. I've been fucked over one too many times by the dupes. They are all manipulative bitches who see Ricks as tools because they have a power over them." He sits up straighter, turning from side to side to test out the area.

"Why does she even need a Rick?"

"Because honey, she's not smart. She needs Ricks to create and invent. In that aspect, she does not compare to you at all…" Scar Rick grabs your hand gently and pulls you to sit next to him on the couch. You look directly at him, relieved that the bleeding stopped and that he had finally stopped playing games with you.

"That wound… I recognize the claw marks. The scratches are larger than the ones I first saw on the cargo doors. I guess she kept the beast? Did she not like your answer?" Your voice is quiet as you place a hand against the wound. Scar Rick raises your chin to pull you into a kiss; barely a touch of lips against yours.

"Yeah… Nothing I'm not use to hun. Don't worry." You noticed something sad in his voice. You couldn't help it. You lean in against him and kiss him deeper, holding on to his face and then wrapping your fingers in his hair. A groan escapes as you smile, remembering that he liked when you did that before. "You… why not you first?"

"You said you saw me fight," you decide to change the subject, "thought I was like her and then created a portal to save me… Explain more please." Scar Rick lets out a large sigh then begins.

"I was ordered to watch you. Saw your race attack. Saw you fight, and honestly I have _never_ seen Kat'Rin fight. She has others fight for her. You amazed me and intrigued me. I thought you were worth saving so I created a portal as you were falling from a space ship you were attacking… bare handed, mind you. Took me a while to find out what dimension you landed in. Then I was ordered to retrieve you. When I saw you… I couldn't help myself. I've been without for so long… strung along on her twisted games… I wanted to claim what was mine. I wanted to…" He shook his head then continued. "I kissed you and knew it was not the same. I… I… fuck, I wanted _you_. I thought you were manipulating me; twisting my mind. I thought you were forcing me to feel that way. But… but you weren't." Scar Rick lets go of you and raises off the couch, walking towards the window. "This was a bad idea. We need to get you out of here _now_."

"Yeah… got an energy source for a portal gun laying around?" He turns to look at you with a wicked grin.

"Why yes honey, I do…"


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Courage

The next five hours fly by as Scar Rick watches from the couch as you silently construct your own portal gun. You use the information gleamed from Rick's research, the energy device from Scar Rick and your own ingenuity. The device you create is a much slimmer design with the power source contained within instead of encased in a tube at the top. The rest of the electrical components wrapped around the power source with an LED display lit in blue at the top. After you triple checked all connections and assessed the plasma energy container for leaks, you transfer the gelatinous sphere of energy from one source to your portal gun. You spend a moment with your eyes closed, if this failed you wouldn't have to worry about escaping… everything would implode. Opening your eyes, you let out a holler of joy as Scar Rick chuckles.

"Fuck yeah! In your _face_ motherfuckers!" You yell out in pride.

"You sound like a Rick…" he laughs then, the smile reaching his eyes as he watches you dance around.

"Why thank you. I take that as a compliment." You bow and smile. "Now we see if we can survive it being activated…" You take a deep breath and aim at the wall farthest from you. "If this doesn't work… There won't be much time for you to get out of here before the plasma consumes this room."

"I'll grab you and run."

"No… you run."

"No." You look at Scar Rick as he eyes you in defiance. Then you shake your head, knowing that he would not back down.

"Fine. If this _does_ work… I _will_ be back… You can come with me…" You can see him shake his head.

"No can do. Kat'Rin will go ballistic. She'll take it out on them. Can't let that happen honey."

"Okay…" you sigh but know he is right. "Then _know_ that I will find this dimension again and deal with her." You aim the gun and shoot the portal against the wall. A gelatinous thump sounds as the portal is created. A familiar green one. You sigh and smile at the accomplishment.

"Fuck girl. Never thought I would see the day when a non-Rick creates a portal…"

"What about the purple and red one?"

"That's mine hun. _All mine_." He winks at you. "Now you need to get out of here. Close this one and I'll input the coordinates to the dimension I picked you up in." You hand over the device as he enters in the string of numbers and letters. "One more thing… I know you already hate her… but you need to know. Kat'Rin was the one who sent your race into your dimension. She does that. Easiest way to find another version. She creates a portal to a random dimension and sends a fleet in. If there's a version, they are able to locate her quick. If the version survives, we are tasked to bring her in. If she dies, she was not worthy. That was not your dimensional race that attacked you. Yours was wiped out decades ago." You stare at Scar Rick letting the information sink into you. Now it was just a matter of _when_ you killed Kat'Rin, not _if_.

"Thanks. Really." He hands you back the device and pulls you in for one last kiss.

"Should have fucked you when I had the chance…" Scar Rick places his hand on top of yours, activating the device. One last kiss and he pushes you through the portal.


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

The Return

You stumble through the portal and land on your ass right below Rick. He looks down, a plasma ray trained at your head. He hesitates as you wonder if you landed in the correct dimension.

"Fuck you looking at?" You yell out with a wink. Rick throws the pistol against the table, lifts you from the ground and pulls you into a deep kiss. You can feel his heart race and his hands tremble as he holds on to you. You finally allow yourself to relax in his arms, going limp as you grab a hold of his hair, keeping the kiss going. After a while you hear a cough from behind him.

"Ahem. Are you going to be finished anytime soon or would you like me to leave…" The gruff voice was from another Rick. You pull away from yours to peer around and see the Rick from the last video conversation; bald with a small scar along his left eye. Now that you could see him more clearly, you can see that he also has a tattoo on his neck of a plasma rifle.

"Maybe…" Rick coos against your ear. "Fuck babe… how did you get back? I thought you were gone for good. We've been searching dimensions and coming up with nothing. I was worried… _fuck_. _Don't_ do that again!" He kisses you, holding on to your face.

"You have no idea…"

You take the time needed to let them both know of the events that took place after you were taken, leaving out the information about the bonds; that was for your Rick only. After explaining how Kat'Rin was a threat against Ricks _and_ other dimensions, Tattoo Rick mumbles something and leaves through a portal of his own to report to his team. After he exits you hand your new portal device to Rick.

"Fuck… nice. Improved on my design huh? Showoff. If I knew you were goURRP, gonna show me up…"

You smile warmly as you start to back up towards the next room, knowing where the cot was. Rick watches you as you take off your shirt, bra, pants and underwear while looking directly in his eyes. You feel that familiar fire rise up and blaze against your body; now you can feel how different your Rick's heat felt. Scar Rick may have been able to manipulate you through the bond, but _your_ Rick was truly in love. You could feel it as he closes the space between you, pulling you in to a heavy kiss.

"I love you…" you breathe along his neck, watching the gooseflesh rise.

"Fuck babe… I love you too. I was so scared. I felt the panic. I tried to get down here. There was nothing. I knew it had to be a portal. I grabbed other Ricks. I…" He stopped then, finally noticing that you already had his belt undone and was pulling his pants down further. Rick removed his coat and shirt as he allowed you to work on getting the bottom half undressed. His eyes were trained on you as you slowly move lips against the length of him. You watched his reaction as you ran your tongue upwards along his navel, making sure to rub his erect form along your breasts as you moved. Once you reached his neck, you chuckle before enclosing your mouth along the tender flesh, sucking to create your own mark. Rick's hands were tangled within your hair as he cursed above you.

"You… you bitch… fuck you…" But he didn't stop you… After you were satisfied with the mark you left behind, you look directly into his eyes.

"I need _my_ Rick. I need you…" Your voice cracked as he cradled your face, his other hand wrapping around your waist.

"Fuck the cot babe… I'm, I'm gonna take us to your bed…" He takes out his own portal gun and creates one on the ground. As he leads you backwards, you fall for a minute and then land on your bed in the underground lab. You laugh suddenly, the stress finding an escape.

"So _now_ we make it to a bed?" You get out between giggles. Rick laughs with you as he tackles you against the blankets. His hands move along the length of you from ass to breasts while he left light kisses against your lips, cheeks and forehead.

"Are you alright babe? Truly…" there is concern in his voice. You know he could tell that you left something out of that previous explanation.

"You know what? All _I_ want to do right now is fuck you… and _you_ actually want to talk… This is _totally_ out of character for you." You move your hand lower to grab him, emphasizing your point.

"Shit… what was I asking?" Rick groans against your neck. You let out a soft laugh, satisfied with the change in topic. A few strokes and he was yours.

Rick's hands change from soft, warm and loving to firm, strong and possessive. Your heart flies at the change and you close your eyes, welcoming the sensations. Rick moves downward along your body, pausing for a moment to suck and pull at tender nipples, chuckling darkly as you let out a moan, begging for more. Fingers press in along the length of stomach following his lips and tongue as they play along the flesh. His mouth makes it first to your tip as his hands take their time to spread the legs. A tongue flicks out bringing a jolt across your body as you arch your back. At the raise Rick encloses his mouth around you, sucking and stroking along the edges to tip as your breath quickens. Fingers play from behind to plunge inward, hitting that precious spot that sends you bucking from the duel sensations. A moan escapes from Rick as your body tightens around him, the orgasm controlling all your movements. He pulls away to look at you as your body finishes its convulsions.

"Shit babe… love when you… you do that…" His smile widens as you sit up to wrap arms around his neck pulling him in for a long kiss as you maneuver his body under yours. Eyes watch your body as you straddle him, rubbing along the length of him, allowing his entry. Rick lets out a sigh as you sit fully on top, taking a moment to feel the length of him within you. You close your eyes to allow the fire build within and press it outward, hearing a groan from Rick as he raises his hips. The movement encourages you to start a slow pace back and forth allowing the length of him to almost exit before pushing him back within. His hands cup your ass, gripping hard as he steadily speeds up the momentum. With the pace quickening, you lower your body downward placing your hands against his shoulders to provide support. Each thrust pushes the heat further along your body as curses escape from Rick. His hands leave their area to grip breasts, bringing one to his lowered head and eager mouth. You struggle to keep the pace, not wanting the movements to pull him away from your current area of need.

Rick growls suddenly, pulling your head against his chest as he rolls you under him. He pulls himself upright bringing your legs up and crashes into you with a force that makes the frame knock against the wall. You reach up behind you and grab the rails as he pushes again and again. It's your turn to cry out curses as you feel the tightening from below. You arch your back upwards and are rewarded with a thrust that knocks him against your favorite spot. Soon your vision explodes into a display of fireworks as he shoves his length a few more times, allowing himself to finish within. It was at his final thrust that your body decided it was a good time to orgasm again, and Rick was sent into a slew of curse words as your body convulsed around him. Once finished, his head falls against your chest and his breathing slows. You comb his hair with your fingers as he relaxes and start humming a song. Rick remains silent until you finish, then raises his head to look into your eyes.

"That was beautiful… the sex too…" he adds with a wink; you laugh. "What was that from?"

"It's a song I've been creating for a couple of weeks now. Got the tune. The words are coming. It's special to me." You stare at him, memorizing the small facial features of the man who means the universe to you.

"Will I get to hear the words one day?" Rick practically purrs against you.

"You will… it's about you anyway."

"Ahhh, so it's an X rated song about how… how I'm an animal in bed… built… built like a steed…" he wiggles his brow.

"No." You pause for a moment and then laugh at his goofy expression. "It's a song about something else. When I finish, you will hear it. Until then you suffer with the tune."

"Happy with that babe. Just… just happy to hear you sing again." He lifts up to kiss you, running a hand along your hair.

"I will always sing to you. Always…"

"I have one more surprise for you babe. I'll be… I'll be right back…" Rick rolls off the bed, grabs his portal gun and disappears through the fresh portal. Within a couple of seconds he returns with a medium sized case. Still naked, Rick bounces on the bed and opens it up in front of you. Instantly you recognize the device within.

"Oh my gods… a _tattoo_ machine?" you raise an eyebrow at him.

"Not just _any_ tattoo machine… a _motherfucking awesome_ tattoo machine created by a _sexy ass_ genius." he winks at you as you laugh silently. "This baby will, will create a _magnificent_ piece of artwork on any… any skin type and heal over without any… any issues. In record time by the way."

"Wow…" you respond sarcastically. He rolls his eyes at you and motions for you to lie down. "You are not going to tattoo your _name_ … right?"

"Ha! _That_ would be amazing… Naw babe. Something else. Remember that spot?" You sigh at the mention of it. _A neck tattoo_? You smile again and pull your hair away from that spot. "It won't look like a permanent hickey alright?"

"Have you even done this before?"

"Don't have to… but no." Rick gets out the device and programs the design into it, adds the color and places his hand against your neck. You didn't get to peek at the design but knew it took him a couple of tries to get it the way he wanted it. As the device was laid on your neck, you hear the calibration of the inner computer as you feel a slight vibration against the skin. You are surprised to find that it didn't hurt at all and the device was finished within ten minutes. Rick takes a cloth and runs across the newly created tattoo, sitting back to admire the work. "Now _that_ is what I call perfection…"

"Let me see…" Rick hands you a mirror and you start shaking. A hand covers your mouth as tears start to fall down your cheeks. Rick envelops you in his arms, stroking your hair. In the mirror you saw a perfect rendition of your white flower with the dark blue center.


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

The Family

Rick decided to create a portal for you back to the family garage as he took another one to his bedroom. Since the other Rick never visited your underground base, there were no clothes for yours to change into. He didn't think appearing in the garage naked as the family walked in to be a thing they wanted to see again. As the portal closed behind you, Morty ran into the garage and let out a yell when he saw you, running up to grab a hold around your waist. As you held on to a sobbing Morty, Summer ran in and circled her arms around both of you. Then Beth entered and you were enveloped in a Smith family hug. You close your eyes to the feeling of being surrounded by people who loved you and cared for your well being. You always thought you had a family but, right now, you knew _this_ was truly what a family was all about.

"I'm alright guys… I'm safe…" You kept repeating this until one by one, each let go of you and retreated to the living room to sit on the couch.

"We were so worried about you honey… Dad was running around like a madman. I have never seen him so angry before. He kept saying that he should have been able to locate you and that he was going to kill whomever took you…" Beth had sat down next to you, taking your hand in hers, concern showing on her face.

"Yeah! Grandpa was yelling throughout the house like totally upset. He was like, yelling at himself for being stupid. So weird. Glad you're okay though… Totes glad." Summer was sitting on the other side of the couch next to you as well. Morty had taken up residence on the chair across the way and was very quiet.

"I'm fine. I was taken by another dimensional Rick. Apparently there _are_ other versions of me out there… not so nice ones. I'm the only one named Tess by the way… so if you see me and I don't react to that name… run. She is so f-ed up. I was able to create my own portal gun with the help of that Rick to get out of there." Everyone was watching you as you spoke, since no one seemed surprised at the information, you guessed that they had heard of things happening like this before. Morty was still sitting on the chair, holding on to his legs and not looking at you after things had quieted down. Once satisfied that you were alright, Beth left to cook dinner for the family and Summer retreated to her room to text her friends. You crossed the room and squeezed next to Morty on the chair. He leaned in against you and grabbed a hold of you tight. You could hear him silently crying, not wanting to cause a scene. Minutes passed with no words as you just held on to him. To calm the nerves, you started to hum a lullaby you had heard once from a family you rescued. It always seemed to calm their little ones… Once the song started, Morty relaxed, his crying stopped and his grip loosened. When it was finished, he looked up at you and smiled.

"Thanks… sorry… I guess you being gone and all worried me more than I thought. Rick worried me… he was unsure for once. He never asks for help… I didn't want you gone. I've lost my dad to this separation thing… didn't want to… lose… you know…" Morty got out while wiping tears from his face and straightening up.

"No worries bud. I never realized how much this feels like home now." Morty smiles at you and you pull him into a hug. "Besides… I rescued myself. Let that be a lesson… I don't need a Rick to save me."

"But you got help from that other Rick… right? That's what you said…" Morty smiles up at you from the hug.

"Well… I… just used him for an energy source..." you smile as Morty laughs, "shut up! I can do it without Rick… I can!" Morty laughs harder and stands up from the chair.

"Yeah… I bet you could. Just… just be careful… you have people who worry now alright?"

Morty left for the kitchen before you could say something back. On one hand, you felt lucky to have such amazing people accept you into their lives, and on the other you became worried that this could be used against you. You sat silently thinking about what you would do if any harm ever came to them. If Kat'Rin ever wanted to make you like her… that would be the way to go. Threaten your new family or Rick. _Rick_. _Any_ Rick you realize. None deserved what she was doing to them. You wonder what would keep a Rick there… There was something unsaid about what Scar Rick was telling you. It couldn't just be the sex that kept them there… couldn't just be the power that enthralled them. There had to be more. Then you froze thinking that it could very well be the family that you fell in love with. The Smiths…

Rick walks in from upstairs dressed in the same clothes as always.

"Don't you _ever_ wear something else?" you ask as he sits down next to you on the chair and pulls you onto his lap.

"Why? This is so comfortable. I got extra pockets… and cool tech built into each piece of clothing…"

"Ahhhhhh. That explains it then." You laugh as he just watches you in silence. He was trying to read your face.

"Okay. Spill it. What's up? I know that… that look."

"Worried about what Kat'Rin has hidden on that ship of hers. What could she possibly have that would keep Rick's in line? Keep them from collaborating and defeating her?"

"Sex… if she's like _you_ in bed that is…" Rick winks and adds, "But seriously that wouldn't be enough. No matter how good the sex is… I've had better. She must have something else. Or someone else…"

"That's what I was thinking. It was the way he talked with me. Using words like 'them' and 'others' instead of clearly stating 'Ricks'. I worry that there may be other innocent lives on that ship. Makes things more difficult. Extraction is never fun. But I can do it with a full schematic of that ship. I know the class and model but there were additions as well…" You start rambling on about tactical ideas and research that you would have to prepare and how many soldiers you would need. Rick sat there watching you in silence, just listening to everything you said. Then, in the middle of a sentence, he grabs your face and kisses you deep, pulling your leg close against his body. You lose your train of thought and sink into the kiss.

"It's about time…" you hear from Beth. You break from the kiss and stand up suddenly, almost falling to the ground. You know you were blushing by the giggle from Beth. "I was waiting for this. You shouldn't have to hide it dad. I knew you were falling for her…"

Rick slowly stands up, kisses you on the cheek and walks over to Beth grabbing a hold of her shoulders. "I know sweetie… but I wasn't sure how you would handle this. The divorce is hard… and the last time you saw me kiss someone was your mother…"

"Dad… that was a long time ago. And I _know_ mom wasn't the last person you've been with…" Beth winks and Rick laughs. Rick pulls his daughter in for a quick hug and then changes the subject.

"Something smells delicious sweetie… almost time for… for dinner?"

"Oh no… I have to get it out of the oven!" Beth leaves the living room running off to retrieve the dinner. You look at Rick and notice a soft look on his face as he watched her leave.

"So much gone…" Rick says silently as you hold him from behind. "There are times… times I wish…" He takes out his flask and takes a long swig passing it off to you. You look at the alcohol within as Rick turns around to face you. "You alright?"

"Yeah… just thinking that I need something a bit stronger after dinner."

"Yeah? What do you have in mind babe…?"

"Something I created a while ago… use to sell it to help fund the rebellion. A nice little… ahem… pharmaceutical that has no long term affects. Sets in quick and lasts for about three hours before becoming inert and being absorbed into the body. Non habit forming too. That was the only way he would let me sell it. Gods he hated when I used it…" You rub the back of your neck and shake your head.

"Sounds good. Let's get the chemicals. Where to firURRP, first babe."

"Really? Just like that? You're alright with this?"

"Yeah…" Rick kisses you again and gets the names of the planets that you found the chemicals at. "I'll have Morty help me on this… he needs to get out. You… URRP… you have dinner. I can figure out the composition of this… this pharmaceutical… Then we get schwifty."

"What? Schwifty? Do I want to know?" you cock your head and look at him. He shakes his head and covers his eyes.

"Never mind. Go eat and enjoy the… URRP… family." Rick heads upstairs, yelling for Morty to join him on an adventure. You head back into the kitchen and help Beth with the rest of the dinner and sit down with the girls for a nice meal and even better gossip.


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

The Distraction

The next couple of days move slowly as you wait to hear from Tattoo Rick's team. Rick had convinced you to let them handle the information gathering while you took some time to formulate a plan of attack and rescue. Even though these areas were highly interesting, there was only so much of the day you could focus on it without driving yourself nuts. There were too many variables unaccounted for.

The pharmaceuticals worked to distract you during the first night after returning to the Smith house. You made sure the two of you were in your underground base when partaking of this chemical concoction. It made for an… interesting… experience with Rick. Since you had never actually done something like that with the old Rick, you never imagined how he would react to the stuff. It had a calming effect on the body and increased awareness to outside biochemical reactions within the air. You could actually see sound waves, UV waves, and bio luminescence from the overhead lights; all these things adding to the overall feeling of peace and calm. Being able to lay with Rick during this was amazing. The conversations and formulations aroused you on the genius level. But as great as it was, once was enough for you before the mind started racing on what steps to take next when dealing with Kat'Rin.

You spent most of your days in Rick's underground lab and currently had the ground and walls littered with pieces of mechanics, wires, batteries, schematics, notes, and balled up paper trash from failed ideas. Along one wall were sticky notes that created a portion of the larger ship you were on. Stickies for the cargo hold rooms, a sticky for the elevator, the meeting room, the move to the right and Scar Rick's quarters. When Rick entered the area, you were pacing along this wall studying areas and adding notes to each from what you could remember. Rick walked up to the sticky of Scar Rick's room and saw music notes drawn along it.

"What's this?"

"Music notes…" you replied quickly and started adding more notes to certain cargo rooms.

"Duh. Why is it here?"

"Oh! When he punched in the code to his room I noticed that the keys made distinct notes. Memorized the tones. Just in case. Who knows? Might come in handy. Just like these notes… I need to be ready… prepared. What if I get caught and these details save someone?" You started to ramble again, something that was becoming a habit when Rick talked to you.

"Babe…" Rick swung you around holding your face with both his hands. "You need to slow down. Nothing is going to happen right now."

"Yeah…" you let out a loud sigh and relax your shoulders. "I just start thinking of what Kat'Rin could be doing to Scar Rick… he doesn't deserve that… no one does. You should have seen…" You look into Rick's eyes trying to make him understand the severity. "When he told me about the pleasure mixed with pain… I thought that there wasn't that much of a stretch, you know? Some pain can feel good. But this…" you hold on to Ricks wrists while his hands were still holding your face. "He came back with large gashes along his side after telling her that he was having trouble locating me. I had to cauterize the wound because their medic is a fucking inept bastard. There was two different plasma gels I had to mix and set on fire… fucking _fire_ … to get the wound shut." Rick exhales.

"Shit… that would hurt like a motherfucker!"

"Yeah? You think? He got hard… fucking aroused from _that_ pain!" You look at Rick and see the shock on his face.

"Wow… that's bad. That's too much pain to… to… Kat'Rin trained this in them?"

"That's what he said." You move into Rick's arms, placing your head against his chest, happy to focus on his heartbeat.

"Shit babe. No wonder you're going crazy… But this isn't helping anyone. We have no idea where they are in the multiverse. Until then, running around will… will wear you out. You… you won't be the top of your game babe. What you need… is a distraction. From all this…"

"I thought we did that…"

"That was one small night… I mean… mean something else." Rick pulls you away from his chest and looks at you. "Wanna go sing somewhere?"

"Really?" You perk up at the thought of being able to sing in front of a crowd again. The thrill of the live band as they change rhythm with you and watching the people react with the sway of bodies… "Fuck yes!"

"Perfect." Rick chuckles and pulls you in for a kiss.

You step through the portal with Rick, Morty and Summer in tow. The venue is a small outdoor arena at twilight. Rick told you that this was a place his band use to play at. The people of this planet were enthralled by music and kept this area accessible for anyone who wished to perform. As you start to set up the speakers, sound systems and DJ equipment, Rick plugs in his guitar and starts to tune it, the sounds echoing in the open field. Soon the residents started to fill the area, eager for another performance. Morty made sure the wires were out of the way once connected and Summer set up the small can lights at the front of the stage. The microphone was permanently attached to the stand, but that worked for you. You always loved moving to the music while you sang.

By the time you were finished setting up, the crowd increased tenfold and were starting to become rather noisy with excitement. Summer disappeared behind the curtain to the right and Morty grabbed a tambourine. Rick winked at you and pointed at the mic stand for you to start. As you raise your hands and close your eyes, you can hear the murmur of voices calm until an eerie silence fills the venue. You wait for four heartbeats and start singing a quiet high note that increases in volume to start tumbling downward and stop. Opening your eyes, you look out over the audience as all eyes are trained on you. The heat fills you as you recognize Rick's arousal from just a simple note. With a small smile you start singing out a new tune with no words. You needed a way to warm up your voice that would pull the crowd in to your world.

After a few sessions of cascading notes followed by long, strung out lower tones, it was ready for the main event. A new song starts with new words created from the start of your new life. Guitar twists around your tones for a short time then creates a melody and tempo for you to follow. You press the keyboard to the left to start a drum beat and add layers of your own voice from prerecorded samples obtained from your warm up session. Your eyes remain closed for the performance, your body reacting to the beat and notes. Sensuality races to the foreground in certain songs, pride and harsh rhythms circle others while upbeat dance sections twist between the two, tying everything together. The passion is Rick, the pride was battle, and the dance was family. Everything that was your life _now_ was showcased on the stage.

The end was approaching for your tale and you knew how to represent the final piece. You turn off the keyboard. You stop the drum beat and motioned for Morty to put down the tambourine. Turning your back to the crowd, you walk up to Rick and sit in front of him on the stage. Your focus is on him alone; a tune swirling around you waiting to be released. The fire ignites as Rick strums single notes echoing the tune you hummed to him in bed. You meet his eyes and smile warmly. The heat is met and increased as you hear the notes. Closing your eyes, you sing the words that have been forming since you first kissed him. Words around freedom, choice, passion, falling, being found, comfort, love and desire are expressed in poetic forms that talk of nothing specifically. They only mean something to those who lived it; those who were there. Rick keeps up with you until the end. Opening your eyes allows you to see the tears forming in his eyes as he lays down his guitar, pulls you upwards and into a kiss that sends the crowd screaming and applauding.

The crowd doesn't matter to you. Rick is all you see as he holds your chin. The intimate moment was broken by Morty and Summer running up and grabbing a hold of the two of you. You laugh as Rick starts yelling at his grandkids, cursing them out for possibly breaking ribs and being little shits. This only makes you laugh harder as the kids start yelling back at him. The crowd continues to cheer as you walk back to the mic stand and thank everyone for attending the impromptu concert.

Once the stage was cleaned up and everything returned through the portal, Rick yells at the kids to return home. Summer makes a joke about how they had to let the adults have some naked time as Morty cracks up laughing. Once the portal was closed, Rick turns to you rubbing the bridge of his nose. You laugh and pull him into another kiss.

"This was amazing. Exactly what I needed."

"Figured… fun too." Rick kissed you again. The two of you were alone in the now empty field. As you look upward, you realize that the stars were the brightest you had ever seen on a planet. As if reading your mind, Rick says "Most of the towns here don't use electricity in their homes. They prefer the glow of flames in the night. Makes for an amazing view of the stars huh?"

"Yep." Rick holds you face again, looking into your eyes.

"I have never met a woman… a person like you before. I really wanted to not do this… to _not_ fall in love. I never really believed in it. Something for fools… I didn't even stand a chance. You broke through before… before I even noticed. I tried to play it off as lust or desire. But… fuck… you're not really my type… and yet, you are _everything_. That first time on the couch… surprised me. I… I don't do things for others… without considering what _I_ would get out of the exchange. I _knew_ the family would be home soon… I _knew_ there wasn't enough time… I _knew_ … yet I did it… _only_ for you…" He releases you and walks away, running hands through his hair. You know this as a sign of nervousness. "Why the _fuck_? You know? _Why_? And then… then you were… there… _everywhere_ … I couldn't escape you… didn't want to. When you were gone… fuck babe. I felt helpless…"

He was quiet for a while, still pacing. You stayed where you were, knowing that this must be difficult for him. Rick has never been one to share his thoughts or feelings… You wanted to hold him, comfort him, and tell him that you understood but you didn't dare interrupt him. He chose this moment and you had to let him finish.

"Babe… I… I know this might be redundant… but… but…" Rick turns around and has something in his hands. You struggle to see what it is in the night sky. "I love you… that's a given now… I never actually thought… I would do this… this _again_. And yet…" He starts to walk towards you, still looking at the thing in his hands. "Will you…"

You hear a whistle getting louder and closer from above as Rick crashes into you. The two of you roll across the wet grass as a missile lands and explodes right where you were. Rick's body was on top of yours and caught the majority of the heat and shrapnel. His eyes close and the body goes limp as you reach into his pocket for the portal gun. The area was on fire around you, the flames threatening to get closer. Once the correct dimension was inputted, you fire it next to you on the ground and roll you both through.


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

The Fallout

You end up landing on top of your bed in the underground lab and quickly roll Rick onto his stomach as you assess his wounds. He was right when he talked about the tech built into his clothing. His coat took the brunt of the fire damage. Small bits of shrapnel made their way through the outer layer and after removing the coat you see that instead of getting embedded into the skin, they merely scratched the top layer of epidermis. After removing all clothing that had come into contact of the missile, you sit back to examine what needed to be worked on first. Scratches covered the back and red blood trickled down the skin to stain the sheets. He had tucked his head against the top of yours and the back of the neck that was exposed was raw with burns. No visible signs of injury on the legs or feet. Examination of hands came clean as well. You search along the head and felt a bump from a possible concussion due to debris.

Running from the room, you gather supplies to treat the wounds you found, cursing that once again you were bandaging up a Rick that got hurt because of you. Thoughts raced around the reason for the attack and the only one that made sense was that it was from Kat'Rin. You were in another dimension. You were on another planet. Word could have gone out… someone could have recorded the event. You curse yourself for allowing this to happen. You felt that all the blame rested heavily on your shoulders.

Once back in the room, you notice Rick starting to lift up from the bed and caution him that he should remain down until you finished patching him up. You let him know that the wounds were not fatal but you were still concerned over the large bump on the head. After bandaging the areas, applying the burn salve and searching again for a gash or cut within the hair, you allow Rick to sit up. You retreat to the kitchen and grab a bottle of alcohol. Two swigs later you were back in your room and handing it off to Rick.

"Fuck… what the hell was that?" you ask quietly, watching Rick.

"Not… sure…" he looks groggy and you could tell it hurt to talk. The drink he took made him cough and you decide that this was a conversation to have at a later time. You were safe here. You didn't want to return to the Smith home in case there was a way to track portal destinations. Besides, it was better that they believed you two were doing something 'adult' instead of recovering from an attack. You put a gentle hand on Rick's chest and get him to lay back down on the bed. Sitting next to him, you start to sing a calming song and stroke his hair until he falls asleep.

After you hear him start to snore, you grab the clothing and take it to your lab to examine the chemicals and bits of shrapnel. This missile specifically landed _then_ exploded. It was meant to reach a specific location and then cause the most damage to the surrounding area. Unfortunately you had no way of knowing how big the damage radius was. If it was large, the injuries on Rick would have been more severe. But then again he _did_ have tech built in and there was no way of knowing if it was the _tech_ that saved him.

A video call came through the wall terminal and you paused, not sure who would be contacting you at this location in your dimension. Slowly you walk over and turn on the screen to see an old contact from one of the many colonies you had saved over the years.

"Thank the goddess I was able to get a hold of you Tess! I've been trying to find out what happened. The stories we have been hearing are not good. We all thought you were killed along with Rick. Thank the goddess this is not true." Volen was always a strange little man. He always thanked a goddess that wasn't even his. His grey skin looked like he had been running a marathon; sweat dripping down from a mess of soaked purple hair. He was talking with that high pitched voice he got when worried about something. You glance over to the side of the terminal to see that there was several missed calls from various known locations and you relaxed. So much for thinking that this was a set up.

"Why are you soaked?" You ask as you cross your arms and cock your head.

"Had to help put out the fires on the bluff. Fire season here. There are rumors that the other rebels you assisted in the past are being attacked."

"Still going on?"

"No. They stopped two days ago. We are all gathering to see how to support each other. Now that you are back we can finally decide what to do."

"Whoa. Slow down Volen. I have too much on my plate right now. I just…" you were cut off.

"I don't mean to be rude… but our problems are a bit larger then this plate of yours… We have been attacked! Our numbers are low! You need to come here and tell us what to do!" He was yelling now, his skin turning to a yellow grey.

"Excuse me? I do not _need_ to do anything." you were interrupted again.

"Listen, I know losing Rick was hard but you have a responsibility now. We need you now!"

"Fuck you!" You scream out, enraged. "How _dare_ you?! You know that losing Rick was hard?! I'm just supposed to get over that am I?! Just because you told me to?! Fuck you."

"We have all lost people Tess. We have lost more. We are in need more. You can mourn another time. Come to us so we can plan what to do next."

"No."

"What? Don't be ridiculous… You owe us…"

"What?" you say very quietly. The anger within swirls into a monster at this. "I OWE you? I owe you? No. You OWE me! Fuck you. Fuck your planet. Fuck your rebellion. Fuck all of you. I'm no longer responsible for any of you fuckers anymore. Suck my dick." You cut Volen off from yelling back at you and you disconnect the terminal. The rage was still swirling inside and you pulled the terminal off the wall and threw it against the floor, screaming. After you stare down at the pieces, you fall to the ground, wrap arms around yourself and start to shake. Tears stream down your cheeks. Your face is hot with the anger. How dare they? You sacrificed everything for them. Everything. Months at a time spent away from your husband to save their lives. Endless nights of waking up in a cold sweat due to watching people close to you die because you gave an order. How dare they… A long time must have passed while you remained on the floor in shock. When you look up, Rick was leaning against a lab table with a sad look.

"I had enough rest babe. Just came in a couple of minutes ago. Didn't wake up to this…" he motions to the broken monitor. "Must have been an evil robot right? Sent to destroy you?" He winks and you actually crack a smile.

"I don't know why I let them get to me you know? I just don't get it. I sacrificed so much for them over the years. And now… now they wanted me to suck it up, get over his death, and get back to work telling them how to defend and recover. Fuck..." you whispered the last curse.

"Sucks to let people in to your… your life huh? Better to remain distant right? Fuck them all." Rick had the bottle of alcohol that you left in the bedroom with him. He took a swig. "Better to live… alone. Aloof. This is… is what happens when peoURRP, people get under your skin. When you fucking _care_." He spat out the last word like a curse. You look up at him to see tired eyes. He slowly stands away from the table and holds out a hand to you. As you take it, he lifts you up and into his arms. "BuUURP, but babe. This is you. This is who you are. You care. And when you get hurt, it's… it's because you care. And fuck you bitch for making me care too." Soft lips meet yours as you fall against his kiss, strong arms keeping you up and steady.

"What was it you were going to ask me before the missile?" You look at him as you hear a loud beeping coming from the mass spectrometer behind him.

"Wanna get that?" Rick smiles slyly.

"No…"

"You sure? Might be something… important…" Rick winks at you.

"Fuck you! You're not going to tell me now are you? Bastard!" You hit him in the arm as you walk by him to check the machine.

"Nope… not a good time babe. I was going to tell you that… that you had something in your teeth…" He chuckles.

"Bastard…"


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

The Revelation

The information from the mass spectrometer was interesting. Not only did you find the exact materials used in crafting the exterior of the missile, you also found the specifics of the explosive materials along with something completely different; your unique genetic code. Upon closer examination, both you and Rick could break the chemical composition down to find that the device was set to explode upon detection of your genetic code. Whomever sent the missile down also knew _who_ they were targeting.

"I'm not sure this was from Kat'Rin… I'm pretty sure that she is unaware of me and my many differences." You let Rick know as you sat back staring at the terminal.

"Yeah… Didn't you say that she would send her race in to track other versions down? Maybe this is how they locate them… through genetic codes. Would make… sense you know? _They_ would have it…"

"I guess… So, let's brainstorm here. I _know_ that Kat'Rin sends in her race to different dimensions to find other versions of herself. I remember you showing me the charts that led us to believe that there were _other_ versions in a small number of dimensions. If _you_ had access to that data, then we can assume that the Ricks under her control would have the same info. So… she can narrow down dimensions. She sends out her race. She waits to see if there is contact? Do they know she is controlling where they go? Or are they in the dark and think they are just following the same person…" You lean back in your chair and close your eyes. Rick puts his flask in your hands and you take a drink. "Her race attacks the other version… _if_ that version survives the initial attack, a Rick is sent in for recovery… why? What does Kat'Rin want with the versions who survive?

"Didn't you say that the ones who died were 'not worthy' according to that Rick?"

"Fuck… worthy of what? He was also protective of me… uncomfortable with the fact that I was smart and could fight… said that Kat'Rin was _not_ smart and he had _never_ seen her fight. Maybe she is looking for scapegoats? Patsies to blame and hand over to authorities?

"Naw… I don't think so…" Rick takes a long drink from the flask and leans against the table to look at you. "There was a Rick I came into contact once. Evil son of a bitch… Killed other Ricks whom he thought were as twisted as him. Had a device to steal their memories to learn from them. Use all the genius ideas for himself. MayURRP, maybe the Ricks designed something like this for her? I've thought, URRP, thought of the idea myself… I guess they could have thought of that UURP…"

"Fuuuuuuuuck." You close your eyes at this and rub the bridge of your nose. The implications of this were big. With your background experience…

"Hold the phone… babe… how was her race in _that_ same dimension with _us_?" You sit upright at look at Rick. A couple of seconds pass, and you bolt to a portal gun, input the coordinates to Rick's dimension and hop through. Once in his garage, you grab the interdimensional computer and jump back through the portal. After setting it up on the lab desk, Rick goes to work finding the dimension you had sang in. Sure enough, your planet was still there as well as a version of you being born, but not able to locate. You look at Rick…

"There was _already_ a version in that dimension… They were hunting _her_ … Fuck Rick! We have to go back and warn her!"

"Whoa whoa whoa, babe. What if she's as fucked up as Kat'Rin… didn't that Rick tell you that you are the only Tess?"

"I don't care… what if she _is_ like me? What if she was living a life and then this fucking thing happened to her and fucked up her life. A quiet life… an unknown life? I almost lost you _twice_ to this nonsense! I can't believe I almost… No! We _must_ find her. Please…" You look at Rick as the tears threaten to come. It really didn't matter who this other version was… it was _your_ whole life all over again. You had to stop this at least once; prove that you could stand up to them and make them pay.

Rick remained silent as you turn your head, looking to the side. A quiet thought ran through your mind. _What_ would you want them to pay for? At first you wanted to kill your race for fucking with your life and taking your husband. Now? You wanted Kat'Rin dead for fucking with Scar Rick and possible other innocent lives. As you look at Rick a silence falls over your thoughts. You never would have met him if they didn't attack… The feeling of being in a whole relationship and not half of one never would have been realized if they didn't attack… Feeling complete for once in your life never… would… have… happened…

Rick walks up to you and holds you from behind. He places gentle kisses along your new tattoo. A tattoo you never would have gotten… You turn around and look Rick in the eyes.

"Am I a bad person if I don't feel the need to take revenge against the death of my husband anymore? Does that mean…" You look into his eyes, almost afraid to hear his response. You felt like a monster.

"If I was in his place… I would want you to be alive and to know that someone else was making you happy. Honest. Being a narcissist, I would prefer it to be a Rick. Easier for me to just tell myself that of course I'm the only one who will ever fuck you…" he winks at you as a smile appears. "Focus on the present. Let go of the past. Can't go back in time. Why worry?"

"Can't time travel yet? What's wrong with you… thought you were a genius…" poking fun at Rick was a great distractor.

"Fuck you. Stupid idea anyway. Let other people fuck themselves over with the whole time and space continuum."

"Ha! Likely response… Thanks, really. I realize that my priorities have altered."

"Naw, your still focused on Rick… just a different one." He pulls you in for a kiss and then looks back at the dimensional computer. "Are we _really_ going to find this other version? You're serious about this? She could be an ass you know?"

"Yes. I'm serious. Ass or no." You smile and kiss him again, snuggling into his chest for a tight hug.

"Fine. But I'm gonna need more alcohol."


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter 27

The Bond

The planets looked small from the cockpit of the junker spaceship Rick had _borrowed_. You stare from the window, relieved to see that the planet you had sang on did not have a giant crater on one side. The guilt was already bad enough. Rick was able to find out that the venue was the only main structure that was destroyed. No one was hurt as the blast had a small radius. There was still clean up to consider and you made sure that money got to the correct hands. The world where the other 'you' was located in was very close to the previous one. Rick was able to narrow down the exact location so you could land nearby. Once out of the ship you look around and see burned structures. A person walking around informed you that there was a wildfire that started a week ago and swept through the neighborhood. Rick indicated that he was going to look around the location for any signs of the same missile.

You take off down the street, hoping to talk with some more neighbors and get a sense of what happened. After talking with four different families, you discover that the story pretty much matched yours to the detail. Out of nowhere ships were firing at a house and everything was on fire. The official word was that it was a wildfire. The people who lived there shared details about the ships and the gunners who were chasing after that crazy scientist down the road. After hearing this last part, you turn to head back. Shifting through the rubble and remaining interior walls proved difficult and you fell with one leg landing through the floorboards towards the basement. Rick came up next to you and laughed. He held out a hand and hoisted you out of the hole. As you dusted yourself off, you saw blue pants…

"Were you here to collect her?" you say calmly, still dusting yourself off.

"Nice… You figured it out." he leaned against the burnt wall. You noticed that his eyes had dark circles under them and were swollen. He looked tired and worn down.

"Name's Tess… not Kat'Rin. I'm not with her."

"Heya Tess. Nice to know. Same song huh?" he scratched the back of his head. You couldn't believe he was talking about the song…

"You know about that?"

"Yeah… her name was Moriah." He looks to you, his eyes haunted.

"Like the wind." You hear him sigh loudly and slump to the ground, covering his face with is hands. After a while you could hear him cry. You sit down next to him and pull him into your arms, giving him time to cry and compose himself.

"We had… we had found her a while ago. First attack killed her mom. She survived."

"Her mom?" you were in shock. "Her mom was _with_ her?" you asked silently.

"Yeah… her mom took her off planet when she heard they were going to kill her daughter. She never believed that stupid prophecy." He was starting to calm himself, looking at you while he was talking. He must have seen the shock in your eyes… "You didn't know? Shit. There was a prophecy about someone being born with powers that were like those of the last individual who almost destroyed the planet. She was a power hungry SOB who could manipulate men to doing her will. After she was captured and killed by the women militia, every child born after was tested for similar powers. If found, they were killed. You were found having those same powers. In this dimension, Moriah's mom took her off planet. They were able to live under the radar for years until…"

"Yeah. This…"

"No. Until they found them and killed her mom. Then I found her. I protected her! She was a fucking school teacher… a bleeding heart… not Kat'Rin!" He started to raise his voice, anger and pain twisting in his voice. "I fell in love…" This last proclamation was silent. Rick looked into your eyes and held onto your face, running a thumb along your bottom lip. You could feel a heat being forced upon you, filling you up with passion and desire. You couldn't fight it as it came crashing against you. Rick leans in and kisses you, groaning as he lowers you to the ground. The heat tightens around you convincing you that this was alright. You kiss him back, grabbing his hair and feeling his body tighten against you. His need is noticeable as his hands push up your shirt and unbutton your pants. Deft hands move along the skin as the burning increases along your body. Your vision is full of cobwebs but the desire pulls you along.

Still trying to find your way through the fire, you feel him push into you; pants were down and the heat expanded within. A voice yells out in pleasure and you recognize it as yours. Hands grab face and hair as lips push and bruise. The length pushes against tightened spots and builds with desire and need. Your breath quickens as the orgasm hits you; Rick's voice echoing yours as he finishes within. The heat still fills your body, making you want more of his touch. Rick straightens up, a look of fear in his eyes as he places the clothing back on you, apologies being whispered into the growing darkness. He sits you upright and freezes, tears welling up in his eyes.

"Fuck… I… fuck… I'm… sorry…. I'm…" he was reaching out to you but hesitated on touching.

"What in the hell…" the heat was finally exiting along with the haze you were in. You knew what happened but could have sworn your Rick was here…

"Shit. I didn't think I could do that… for so long she would do that to us… I thought… I thought…" his face was in his hands now, head shaking back and forth. You gather your thoughts and realize what happened. If this was how it worked with Kat'Rin and the other Ricks… It didn't feel like rape. You thought it was…

"Why… the… FUCK would you even TRY THIS OUT! What the fuck is wrong with you!" You hit him on the arm and force his hands down to look at him. He looked like a mess.

"I lost her… I just wanted one more… to say goodbye… oh my god what have I done?" He looks at you sadly and you close your eyes.

"Fuck… you tell me everything NOW." You see him nodding his head as he starts his tale.

"I was told to retrieve her. I watched her for a while to see what I was getting into. She was a fucking teacher. No threat. I wanted to grab her peacefully. Then I said hi. I was lost in her eyes. I was hers with one word. We left the planet and I helped her run. We fell in love. We had plans… then… then…"

"Then one day the ships come and start bombing the street. You try to fight back but it's no use. There are too many smaller ships shooting and bombing. Fire everywhere…" Rick looks at you in shock. "Happened to me too. Was married to him for about forty five years. Then he killed himself saving me."

"Fuck girl. Yeah. But I couldn't get to her soon enough. Was driving home and she came out and… then nothing. Kat'Rin had killed my daughter for defying her. Tortured Lizzy and sent me the fucking video. Then I lose Moriah and the baby…" He starts to cry again and you freeze.

"Baby? She was _able_ to have kids?" The voice cracked. He looked at you.

"She was pregnant. Our first. Wanted more. You can't?" his look was soft.

"Never could. Something that was taken away from me before I could remember…" You were in shock that she was pregnant. You look up at him and see a man on the edge. He lost everything that meant anything to him. It didn't excuse what he did… but your heart understood. That first kiss with Rick was partially because you needed to kiss your husband one last time… You shake your head and make a decision… "My Rick is over by the house. You need to tell him everything you told me. Answer all his questions. I want to stop Kat'Rin but we _need_ info. Whatever you can give. Then… then I will forgive this. BUT THIS BOND IS NOT YOURS TO FUCK WITH!" You yell out the last, poking him in the chest with each word. He silently nods his head and walks towards his old house. You see the two meet up and you head off in the other direction.

After walking a couple of miles, you come up to a park with a restroom. You take some time to clean yourself off all over and then find a quiet bench to sit on. The sun sets and the night turns cold. The manipulation of the bond left you frozen inside. You were forced into something but you also wanted it. If you were in your right mind you would have stopped him; said no. The events with Scar Rick play again in your mind. He could have taken advantage of you as well. The fact that he didn't makes you more protective of him now. After the lights in the nearby houses dim, Rick comes walking around the bench and sits down next to you. You place a hand on his brown pants and lean in against him. He takes out his flask, gulps a few for himself and hands it to you. As you finish the whole amount, Rick places an arm around you and pulls you against him.

"That's some fucked up shit babe. More… more information now. On our, URRP, way." he was distant when talking.

"Did he tell you… everything?"

"Yeah. Everything. He um… wanted to die. Didn't have the balls to do it himself… Knew what buttons to push… knew what to say to me…"

"You killed him… didn't you…?"

"Yup. No one fucks with you like that… especially a Rick…" You thought you would feel bad after Rick stated this. All you do is shiver from the cold outside and within.

"I…" you felt the need to say something; to apologize about what happened but it didn't feel like it was your fault. You were scared at how well he was able to manipulate you into that. Afraid at how easy it was. Afraid that you fell into it and let it drown you. You are staring at the grass as Rick pulls you to face him.

"I love you. You hear me? I'm scared to ask… I don't know details… I'm afraid to… to…" he was searching your eyes. You lean in and kiss him. At first he is hesitant and soft and then his hand grabs the back of your head and the kiss turns to a possession that you moan against as a softer yet more powerful heat rises and burns away the past. You nuzzle against his neck as he holds you tightly.

"I'll be alright. It was weird, you know? The heat was forced and consuming and had this ability to make me lose track of time and think that he was you and… and… I feel odd."

"Odd? I can work with odd. I was afraid that I would have to work with something… darker…"

"I need my drugs Rick. I need _you_. I _need_ to be away from all this for a bit. I give you full reign in information gathering and planning for a while. I want to be with the family. Please." Rick looks at you with a soft smile and kisses the top of your head. After saying the words, you feel a relief wash over you. This is what you need for a bit. Away from the toxins and back to family. "Isn't it almost time for the homecoming dance anyway?"

"Fuck…" Rick chuckles as he pulls you in. "You will need to teach Morty how to dance… he sucks." You laugh with him as the night passes.


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter 28

Summer

The Smith living room seemed strange now with all that had happened lately. Just a normal couch with a normal television. No stress, no one trying to kill you, no one trying to manipulate you… Rick sat in the corner of the couch and motioned for you to come join him. As you walk towards him, he grabs your wrist and pulls you against him, wrapping an arm around you. A gentile kiss is placed at the top of your head as he turns on the tv, surfing through the channels. After five minutes, he rests on a particular show and wraps both arms around you. The show was not that interesting to you, but the warmth of his arms surrounding you lulls you to sleep. After a while you wake to hear Rick laughing above you. As you look up, you can see his eyes tearing up with each chuckle. You check out the tv and see a man being kicked in the balls. _Of course this would make him laugh_ , you roll your eyes.

"Holy shit babe… you see that? That's fucked up…" he laughs harder.

"Only you…" you shake your head as Morty joins you guys on the couch.

"Oh geez Rick, this show is horrible… I, I feel bad for these guys, you know? What, what do you think Tess?"

"This is _totally_ Rick's sense of humor… I guess _any_ Rick…" you wink at Morty as he laughs and Rick is set into another fit of laughter as another guy is kicked in the balls by a small child. You shake your head but end up laughing too, in the end.

"Um Tess?" Morty starts out nervously, "Are… are you busy later? I might need some… help on… something…"

"Yeah, like dancing bitch! You suck at it. A guy does not go out to impress a gal by… by shaking their ass alone. That attracts… URRP… the wrong _type_. You need to relax… move… get _Schwifty_ …" Rick starts moving back and forth on the couch to demonstrate.

"No… no thanks Rick… Schwifty is not something I… I wanna get at the dance. And I can dance better if I wanted to! I just need more moves alright?" Morty was rubbing his arm again but at least there was a small smile.

"Fuck Morty… I'll show you how it's doUURPne…" Rick stands up and pulls you up from the couch. He switches the tv to a music channel then tosses the remote to Morty, pulling you against his body. You look at him strangely, your husband never danced… Rick winks at you and starts grinding against you while Morty covers his eyes and groans. You don't move much since you are caught in a fit of laughter at both Rick's moves and Morty blushing, covering his eyes.

"Oh gods Rick… You suck too dear. Let me show you how it's done." You turn around and change to a better music channel first, and then come up to Rick positioning his hands at your waist. "This _is_ a high school dance. Now Morty, the guy's hands should be at the waist and this leaves the opportunity for the girl's hands to go around your neck." You demonstrate as Rick rolls his eyes and plays along.

"Then you do slow circles… blah blah blah… Fuck this shit babe!" Rick changes the channel again and twirls you into his arms, dipping you across his leg with a wink. You smile large as a heat rises within you. Rick lifts you back up into his arms and sways with you pressed in close to his body. Your legs are on either side of one leg as his hands move to cup your behind. His eyes are trained on you as the heat builds; his smile evil.

"Oh geez… I don't wanna see this… Come on guys. Rick that's not cool!" Morty whines out as he rushes from the room. "Find me later Tess!"

"Coward…" Rick yells back as he kisses you. His hands are still cupping your ass as he rocks you side to side with his leg pressed against you tighter. The movement was driving you crazy as your heart sped up. Those eyes held promise of naughty things hiding just below the surface. You run your hands upwards along his neck and into his hair. He starts to moan against you, his body getting hard with desire. The music slows as he moves your hips around to hold you from behind. His hands rest on your hips as you hold on to his neck from behind. You twist side to side, lowering yourself down the length of him as you hear his breath quicken. Once at the bottom, you raise your ass first along his legs, your back following until the end, when you reach back and grab his neck. Rick lets out a harsh breath upon you straightening.

"Fuck babe… that body…" Rick spins you around again and kisses you, tongue exploring as he raises your leg up against his body. You wrap that leg around his torso when you hear a disgusted groan from behind.

"Ewe… Gross! Like get a room… I don't wanna see that!" Summer comes walking in and sits at the chair with a sly smile on her face, looking at her cell phone. You straighten your leg and start to blush when Rick gives Summer a dirty look and then kisses you again, prolonging it and making noises. You start to laugh while kissing him and break away after you hear Summer curse at him.

"Sum Sum… Grandpa's trying to get some action here… just wander on up to your room little girl…" Rick said with a sing song voice.

"Uh uh. This is _my_ living room as much as it is yours. And it's gross seeing you suck face with someone like twice as young as you." Summer, still smiling finally puts down the phone.

"I'm actually one year older then Rick…" you reply as Summer's jaw drops open.

"STFU… no way! Seriously? I totes need that anti-aging cream you've been using."

"I regenerate cells on a higher level so skin deterioration has slowed over the years." Summer stares at you with a confused look… "Fewer dead skin cells." you change your explanation and she nods her head.

"Ahhhhh. Still doesn't give you an excuse to suck face out here _Grandpa_!" Summer winks at you and shoots Rick an evil look.

"Bitch… I can do _who_ I want when I want…" Rick walks over to Summer to stand over her. You can tell by the playful tones that this was a normal tit for tat between the two of them.

"Ugh, I can totally see your wrinkles from here… can anyone say turkey neck?" Summer's voice was turning more into the valley girl tone as you started to crack up laughing. The look on Rick's face was too much. He was trying to act mad and in charge but almost started laughing himself.

"Fuck Sum Sum… that was good." He laughs and pulls Summer off the chair to pat her on the back. Summer smiles big and punches him in the shoulder.

"Naw… just joking you two. It's actually cute…"

"Fuck… now you're playing mean. You, you really know how to ruin the mood darling. Best way to get _this_ old man to stop…" Rick takes out his flask, tries to drink and holds it upside down to indicate that it's empty. "Shit, need more."

"Wow… you two are adorable." You whisper to Summer as Rick leaves to the kitchen.

"I know… took me a while to figure him out. He came to us so mean. Like not totally mean but standoffish you know? Lately though… It's been fun messing with him. He was starting to warm up before you came; but now it's been totes awesome. Thanks." Summer grabs a hold of you for a quick hug.

"You… um… need anything or any help for your dance?" you ask awkwardly. You didn't know how she was going to take the question. Teens were never an easy subject.

"Yeah, I guess." She looked bored. You start to worry that you overstepped and look away for a moment to think of another approach. Then she pushes you lightly and starts to laugh. "OMG Tess… of course I would love to get your help! Wow, have to take it a bit _easy_ with you huh? I thought you had a thick skin…"

"Ouch…" You had to smile at that one. "I'm just unsure around you guys… I don't want to mess it up. Never had to consider other people's feelings in this close of a situation. And you know tactics don't work with teenagers…" you wink as Summer starts laughing.

"Well, just be yourself with me. I've grown. Not who I use to be at all. Like totally since hanging out with Grandpa. Got to see the citadel of Ricks, a post-apocalyptic world, well two of them… another me… yeah. Puts things into perspective. Like the most important thing is family, you know?"

"Yeah, I get that. Can I ask about your dad? What's going on with that?"

"Not sure… a part of me thinks that if he loved mom so much, he would fight for her. Instead I feel like he is waiting for us to get bored and invite him back. Kinda his thing. I dunno. I mean, yeah I miss him. But there are times I don't. Totes do not miss the yelling. Not just between him and mom; between him and Grandpa too. Dad never got along with him. Threatens his masculinity or something like that. Whatever… I guess we just see how things play out you know? But for now, I really, really, need to go to the mall. I found out Cynthia got the _same_ dress I bought. There is NO way I'm going to wear the same thing! You wanna come too? Mom's going to the clinic anyway. You can try on dresses with me!"

"Um… I've never really worn a dress before. Not practical."

"Practical? Practical? No way honey! Dresses are to make guys jaws drop open… Let them see what they could have but can't touch… it's a tease really. Totes fun. I know! Let's pick one out for you! Would love to get a pic of Grandpa when he sees you in a fancy, elegant dress… OMG, say yes!" Summer was bouncing a bit while waiting for the reply. You admit that seeing Rick off guard did sound appealing.

"Alright. But this so goes beyond my better judgement…"

"That's the best place to start!" Summer giggles as you are pulled outside and into the family car. As you pull away from the driveway, you could see Rick waving with his flask. _Shit…_


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter 29

Beth

The mall was humongous. You had never imagined that one building could house so many smaller stores and be filled with so many bodies. Summer laughs at you as she takes your hand to lead you through the mass of people and inside her favorite store. Once inside, she starts pulling out dresses and handing them to you. A nice stack was compiled as she pushes you to the dressing rooms in the back.

"Alright Tess, you first." Summer giggles as she pushes you into a stall with the mound of dresses.

"Are you kidding me? All these dresses? Seriously?" You set the pile down on the bench and scratch you head.

"Try them on but come out in the ones you like."

"What about you?"

"Oh, I already have one in mind. Know where it is too. This is all for you!"

"Gee… thanks…" you sigh loudly as you hear Summer giggle again. Dress after dress is tried on and discarded in record time. Each one had a different fault; not enough coverage, not the right color, horrible fit, and what the hell was she thinking. At the bottom of the stack was an emerald green evening gown that stuck out. You tried it on, noticing that the slits came mid-thigh on both legs. The neck plunged and the back had dark lace crisscrossing. Looking at yourself in the mirror was strange while in a dress. You looked like those rich people that were always seen waiting in line for the fancy restaurants and nightclubs. It didn't look like you. But you _did_ like how the dress fell along your body, and the slits made it easier to run or fight in. You decide to walk out in this one.

"Oh… my… goodness. Wow... You look amazing Tess!" Summer stood with her mouth open looking you up and down. You blush at the compliment and turn around to show her the whole dress. "Yep. That's the one. That will totes make Grandpa's jaw drop. Let's get it!"

"Alright." you sighed, just wanting to get this over with. "By the way, when does you mom get off work?" You pay for the dress, _fuck what an expensive piece of fabric_ , and start to walk out the store with Summer.

"Oh, she should be done now… why?"

"I _really_ think she needs to join in on this fun…" you say with an evil grin.

"Mom doesn't really do this… a lot."

"Tough."

You exit the mall with your purchase and Summer in tow. That dress thing was way too weird and what better way to move past the memory then to share the pain with others… You drive up to the horse clinic Beth works at and head straight to her office. Beth looks up from a phone call and smiles, indicating that you two should take a seat. After a couple of minutes listening to Beth tell an owner that their prize stallion was going to come out alright, she stands up and gives Summer a hug.

"Wow! I didn't expect you two. This is a nice surprise. Did something happen?" she asks slyly.

"I took Tess dress shopping. I think I broke her. Now she wants to drag _you_ out." Summer giggles out as Beth rolls her eyes.

"Poor Tess. But I'm not going… I have too much…"

"Oh no you don't Beth." You interrupt. "You are taking the rest of the day off and joining us. Period. I was forced to purchase a dress. Now YOU are going to live my pain and we are getting you a dress. Then I will take us all out somewhere that accepts these dresses." You shoot an evil look to emphasize that there was no discussion around this.

"A girl's night out? Really? Us three?" Beth pauses and then smiles. "I like that idea. Ok. Let's do it!"

"Alright mom!" Summer jumps up and grabs a hold of her mom laughing.

The three of you pile into the car and head back to another, smaller mall to help Beth find the perfect dress and let Summer purchase the other dress that no other girl was going to wear so far. After all the dresses were back in the car, you look to the two girls.

"What's the next step? We got the dresses… now what?"

"Hair and makeup!" Summer yells proudly. "And I know just the perfect place."

The car starts again and off you go towards a spa, pedicure, manicure, hair and makeup place. All your years as a soldier never prepared you for what was to come next. Seaweed wraps, clay masks, grinding nails to add fake nails with color, painting the face with powders and sticks, teasing and curling hair… none of it made sense, but the guy 'pampering' you swore you would feel like a whole new woman. He was right, you didn't feel like you. As you take a look in the mirror, you see a beautiful woman sitting in a chair and the only thing you recognize was your eye color. A strange curiosity washes over you as you reflect that this is what humans on Earth consider to be beautiful; an outward appearance that took hours to craft and mold. At the end of the day when it all came off… did the guys get mad because the woman they lusted over disappeared?

Nonetheless, Beth and Summer were overjoyed with your appearance, so you decided to put on a fake smile that let them know how much you enjoyed the event. The car ride home was a mess of conversations around the pampering and how each treatment felt. Once home, the girls rush you upstairs and unpack the dresses. You help Beth and Summer get into theirs and inform them that the reservation was in an hour and your ride should be here shortly. When they pressed for answers on where they were going, you redirected the conversation or told them it was a surprise. After Beth and Summer were fully assembled, the two took off downstairs to prepare for the photos they wanted to take when Rick saw you. You smiled at how they seemed to be so interested in what his face was going to look like.

After getting your dress on and the hosiery associated with the whole mess, you take one last look in the mirror and surprised yourself. A soft smile greeted you in the reflection. The dress matched your eyes and the purple shadow above the lids made the color stand out more. _Maybe this isn't so bad after all…_

You can hear Morty's voice complimenting Beth and Summer as you head downstairs. Rick was complaining that this was a lot of effort for one night out as you rounded the corner. Then there was silence. Beth and Summer stand together with a large grin while Morty was looking up and down the dress with his mouth open. His face started to blush when he made eye contact with you. A wink made it worse and you looked over to Rick. Now that was something to see. His mouth was unhinged as his eyes trailed along the curves. A strong wash of heat fills you as he makes a twirl with his finger for you to turn around. As you spin slowly, the heat builds making your heart skip a beat. His face, upon returning, held a soft smile but his eyes stoked the fire.

"Stunning. Not sure… I wanna let you go out tonight." His eyes don't break contact with yours as you struggle not to rush into his arms…

"Thank you. Never worn one before. Never really done any of this before. Make up, spa, nail junk… and don't even get me started on these heels…" You twist one ankle out from the slit to expose the three inch black heel shoe that was hiding beneath. You kind of liked the heels… they would make excellent weapons if someone tried to attack.

"Wow! I can't believe you can walk in those things…" Morty replied while staring at the heel. Rick, however didn't even look downward. His eyes were still trained on you as the blood within you boiled. It was getting hard to breath normally and keeping a normal face around the family was getting more difficult. A horn sounded from outside and a sigh escaped as the family went racing to the window.

"OMG mom! Look what Tess got us!" Summer was already starting out the door with Beth and Morty in tow. You had made sure to procure the best in intergalactic small vessel travel. You were starting to walk towards the door too when a strong hand grabbed you around the waist and twisted you back against a hard body.

"You are not leaving yet. Now that they are gone…" Rick's lips came against your ear as he whispered what he would do to you upon your return tonight. You close your eyes while you listen, face blushing as his hands wrapped around your waist, fingers digging into the fabric. At the end of his description of debauchery, one hand trails upward to lightly pull your chin to face him. Lips softly brush upon yours as you lean in to deepen it. Rick suddenly backs away with an evil grin. "Nope… not okay babe. Don't want to ruin what someone else spent… spent hours working on… And it would be obvious to the family…"

"Bastard…"

"Wrong again… I unfortunately know who my dad is…" Rick blows you a kiss. "Have fun."

"Yeah… not nearly as much fun as I would have… if I could stay home…" You wink at Rick as you walk outside to see the family exploring the inside of the vehicle. It was basically a space limo; glorified, extended, chauffeured space limo. "Alright Morty, out. Time for the girls to enjoy the night."

"Awe geez… Rick, why can't we ever ride in something fancy like this?" Morty asks while stepping out. Rick rolls his eyes and moves Morty to the side.

"Because… you're not a fine ass, sexy bitch!" Rick holds on to your hand as you step into the ship. He lays a gentle kiss on the back of your hand. "Enjoy the night babe. Remember who you come home to." He winks and adds, "You girls behave tonight! Come back in… in one piece."

"Grandpa… please… what's the worst that could happen?" Summer laughs from the back.

"Great… she just… she just jinxed you…" Rick grumbles.


	30. Chapter 30

Chapter 30

Sanchez

The limo pulls up to a fancy building that seemed to reach to the sky. The outside was white, gold and silver; the vegetation was in purples, reds and dark blues. A line of people from all races were in a que outside the main doors, which were lined with jewels from every conceivable planet. The door is opened by a tall male with bulbous eyes and blue skin. He helps each of you out of the vehicle and directs you to a side door that is twice the size of the main one. Everyone in the que is watching as you move past the line towards the huge diamond doors. Another alien walks out of those doors and everyone in the que gasps and takes pictures. You know this guy to be the owner of this establishment; you also know about his particular vices and how to supply them. He is a squat, yellow skinned man with pink spots and a mess of white hair done up with crystals entwined within. His suit is white with all the fancy embellishments that scream super wealthy. He approaches you and takes your hand to kiss the back of it.

"Mr. Barspotch, it is an honor." You add in some honorary embellishments in his native language. He grasps you hand and answers in his native tongue as well.

"I am most honored to hear those words of my people. Thank you. I welcome you and your guests to my modest establishment. I have saved the best table for tonight's festivities. Dinner and drinks are on the house, of course. Anything you need, please contact me first. My personal assistant will show you to your table, Mrs. Sanchez."

"Thank you. I hope our arrangement was mutually beneficial?"

"Of course!" he taps the top pocket of his jacket. "I feel like I am getting the better end of our arrangement though…"

"I wanted to show my family the most extravagant meal of a lifetime. Of course I chose here. So it is _I_ who is receiving the better end of the deal…" You bow your head to him as he sets a large, sharp toothed smile across his face.

"We will agree to disagree Mrs. Sanchez. This way, please…" He hands you off to another, younger member of his race as he leaves for the elevator.

"Oh my goodness Tess… what did you trade him?" Beth comes up close to you and whispers.

"Girl… don't ask. Short version, something that will make him very happy for an extended period of time. That's all you need to know." you wink at Beth.

The waiter leads you into the main dining hall and Beth and Summer gasp behind you. The ceiling looks to be over forty feet tall and mirrored to give the illusion of even more space. The atmosphere is dark with candlelight and flames illuminating the area. Tables are set out along the room with several booths lining the walls. A large space in the center is cleared out for dancing; groups of people can be seen dancing in waltz-like format. The family was led up a small flight of stairs and into a booth that had a perfect view of the entire room. People gawked and whispered as you passed their tables, wanting to know who these special guests were. Upon arriving at the booth, the dark lacquered table floats away to allow each of you to find a seat and then returns after everyone is within.

"Tonight's food selection has been specially prepared to the specifications of Mrs. Sanchez. All meals, desserts and drinks will be provided upon request. During each course, different music will be played allowing for pre-learned dances to commence. It is encouraged for the males of each species to ask for a dance partner and you may accept or decline. To make sure that you do not have to worry about social issues that may arise around the many different cultures, everything that happens within these walls is non-binding. Offence will not be taken by any party. Thank you for coming." He bows at the waist and leaves the area. Beth and Summer both look to you.

"Mrs. Sanchez huh?" Beth winks.

"Oh shit. Sorry… I know that's a personal thing. I never had a last name until I got married."

"There is no worry Tess. I like hearing it again." Beth hugs your arms and grabs the elegant glass of red wine. She takes a sip and relaxes in the booth. "Oh my… this is amazing."

"Yeah, pretty much everything is going to taste great. This is the best of the best here. No expense is too large for this place. And Summer… official drinking age is fourteen."

"Woohoo! I love this place!" Summer laughs and Beth sits up straighter.

"That does not mean you are going to get drunk, young woman. I'm still your mom here. You can have two drinks." Summer rolls her eyes at the parenting but smiles at the end.

"Thank you so much Tess. This is like, the most far out place I've ever been." Summer hugs the other arm and Beth takes another sip and agrees.

The night progressed with stacks of food ranging from appetizers, main dishes, small bites, and desserts. Before each round of food was a presentation of a dance on the main floor. Throughout the night males from all different species wandered to your table and asked for a dance partner. Summer and Beth went out several times to enjoy the music but you always remained behind. You were there to provide them a good time and you were happy to sit back and just listen to the acoustics in the grand hall. Several glasses of wine was consumed by Beth and surprisingly only one drink from Summer. You enjoyed the best whisky while you sat back and smiled. A song erupted through the crowd that set your eyes closed as it took over your senses. The sensual sway begged for an intimate slow dance. A hand slowly closes on your shoulder as you look up at the person it belonged to. Rick was standing beside you with a sly grin.

"And I thought I looked good all dolled up…" You raise up from the booth and snake your hands under Rick's black suit jacket. His arms wrap around you.

"Yeah… couldn't let you… go out on your own… without your man…" Rick leans down and kisses you fully this time, not afraid about ruining the makeup.

"The girls are going to kill you…"

"Not really babe. They texted me when they got here. _They_ invited me…" Your mouth drops as you look out on the dance floor. Morty was at the edge with Beth and Summer. They all waved to you.

"Fucking son of a…" Rick laughs at you.

"I talked with the owner and he arranged another booth for them. He said that he was… happy to assist your husband in whatever he needed… Mrs. Sanchez." Rick kisses you again as you blush. He traces a finger along your lips and walks you out to the dance floor. The song was still playing as people made way for the choreographed dance to start. Rick surprised you by walking you out to join the group and taking position. As the music changed to a slower triple time, the dance begun. You knew the steps well, having to learn them in the past for negotiations. Dancing in a dress with heels though, made things more interesting. You watch as Rick follows the independent moves, amazed at the grace he was exhibiting. His eyes were trained on you until the dance moved towards couples. His hand was warm along your back as the other gripped yours to lead you into a turn. The moves come smoothly and it feels like you have danced with him many times before. Your body follows his lead and you allow yourself to close your eyes and enjoy the moment of intimacy that dancing can hold.

As the music comes to a close, Rick backs away with your hand still in his, laying a single kiss along the knuckles as he pulls you against him to lead you off the floor. The family was still standing at the edge, watching the whole dance. All faces held smiles as you two walked off. Rick pulls in Beth for a kiss on her forehead. You lean over and quietly curse at Beth for the betrayal. She laughs and takes the kids to their own booth. Rick walks you back to the previous one and helps guide you into the booth. He comes right up against you, pulling your leg across his lap and bringing his hand along the exposed leg to rest on your knee. Rick leans in to whisper in your ear.

"Was that a nice surprise? You move like water… took everything I had not to grope you out there…" He gently bites your ear lobe as your breath speeds up.

"Yeah… that… was remarkable. I love moving along with you. Melting…" You turn your head to kiss him fully as his hand slips under the slit of the dress along your thigh. A groan purrs along his lips as he comes into contact with the garter belt which held up the hosiery and raises to a growl as he discovers your lack of underwear.

"Holy shit babe. You wanna… wanna undo me right here?" You smirk as you turn your body into him more.

"This hosiery shit was hard enough to get on. Realized too late that the underwear should have gone on first. It's like getting gear on for the first fucking time… confused the hell outa me." You breathed into his neck as your hand slowly lowers to the front of his pants. He is hard with desire as his fingers trace the outside of your jaw. "Fuck Rick… I really don't want to be here right now…"

"Yeah…" a breathy laugh escapes as he grabs your ass. "But we have to. Family and all…"

"Fuck them…" You reach under his belt and grab him from within his pants.

"That's not a good idea… not into that kinda thing babe… family is not for that…" he chuckles as he raises your hand away and out of his pants. "Behave babe. You get me all to yourself later. For now, just… just behave." You sigh as he moves your hand. This was a first for him, you knew. This Rick was not use to telling people to slow down, or at least that's was what he always told you. 'Anyplace, anytime' was his motto he would say. _Apparently it was not his current motto_ , you laughed silently. "Let's play a game…"

"Oh? A game…" You liked the tone of voice.

"Yeah… the can you convince everyone that you are _not_ having an orgasm game…? The rules are simple. Don't let anyone know…" He moves you on the booth to sit directly in front of him and pulls one leg to rest up on the seat. Rick grabs your waist and pulls your back to rest against him, then lifts your left leg to lay along the seat next to his. His right hand snakes under the other slit in the dress to play along your inner thighs. You tilt you head back and curse at him silently, begging for more.

You hear an evil laugh escape his lips as he whispers words that ignite the fire within. One finger plays along the center as a curse escapes from him, stating how moist you are. You turn your head to the left, withholding a blush. Rick removes his hand and states that for the game to continue, you can't hide that beautiful face. A wicked curse is thrown at him as you move your face back towards the dining hall. Thank goodness your booth was farther removed from the other booths. You gently lay your head along his chest as his fingers go back to work. His left hand works inside the other leg to grab a hold and keep it in place as the right starts to move along the length; up and down in slow movements. Each pass of fingertip stokes the fire within as you spread your right leg further away to allow easier access. Rick buries his face into your neck, his tongue playing along your skin in small circles that break out into light sucking and tantalizing curses.

The rhythm picks up as a waiter approaches the booth. Your eyes open suddenly as he starts talking about the next course. Rick casually asks the waiter about specifics of the meal while stroking you faster and harder. The intensity is driving you crazy as he keeps the waiter there longer. With your right hand, you grip his thigh and press your fingers in tight. The bastard responded by diving his fingers within you as you gasp. The waiter asks if you are alright and Rick makes a casual reply that you are fighting a cold. He dismisses him as he whispers into your ear that you almost lost the game. Threats of his punishment come flowing out of his mouth while he works fingers within and his thumb along the outside. The first wave of pleasure strikes you suddenly as you tighten your legs and slightly arch your back. Rick curses and tells you to kiss him. You turn your face to him as he successfully blocks your orgasm with his head and lips. A soft whine escapes from your mouth to his as he quickens his movements, sending you over the edge. His fingers move out as his whole hand covers you to hold your body in place instead of bucking.

When your body and breathing slows, Rick chuckles and tells you that you failed at the game. His suggestion at having more practice in the future makes you blush with anticipation. You turn in the booth and wrap your arms around his neck, kissing him deeply. It was finally your turn to whisper in his ear all the naughty things you wanted to do to him and why he should just create a portal so you can get on with it. You see Rick's hand lay against the outside of his jacket, possibly where the portal gun was tucked away. He shakes his head and calls you a vixen. You laugh as the second course is presented to you. Rick sits back to watch you eat as he chooses to drink his dinner this evening.

"Don't get too drunk there buddy. I want you to remember all the ways I plan on torturing you tonight…" Rick laughs at you and winks.

"No _way_ do I wanna forget that. That was amazing babe. You… you almost got _me_ going. _That_ would have been funny… no way would I have been able to win the game." He takes another sip as he watches you eat. You lock eyes with him and start to blush.

"What?"

"What? I like watching you eat. Sensuous. Appealing. I'm imagining things…"

"That's what I'm afraid of…"

The rest of the meal, along with the dessert, went perfect. Rick let you feed him some of the meal and the conversation varied from past experiences to ponderings on new technology. It was a good four hours of food and conversation; you realize that you never had this long to talk to your ex. Rick's conversation stimulated you and challenged you at levels that aroused you more than his physical contact alone. One particular conversation got you overstimulated and Rick's explanation slows to a halt. You slowly pull out your phone and text Beth that when they are done, the limo will take them back home. Beth's response was a winking face, a pointing finger and an okay hand. You roll your eyes at the phone screen. Before Rick can say anything, you lean in against his chest, kiss him with tongue pressing in, reach in to his coat pocket and discover that he was carrying your portal gun.

As you sit back, you stare into his eyes as you punch in your home coordinates and stand up to walk across the dining room and out the back patio. You know Rick is following as you sense the heat trailing behind you. Once outside, you fire the portal along a wall and step through. Rick is tight on your heels as you walk into your bedroom. He flips you around and shoves you back against the wall.

"You ready for me?" Rick growls against your neck.

"Always…"


	31. Chapter 31

Chapter 31

Morty

The night bleeds into the middle of the day by the time you return to the Smith house. There was one more thing you needed to deal with before this Homecoming dance. Morty needed help. As you walk upstairs, you can hear Summer complaining to a friend that her date was only going to take her to a three star restaurant before the dance. You slowly shake your head and pop in behind the open door to Morty's room. He was at his desk working on homework as you decide to sit on his bed. You look behind you on the wall and silently laugh at the bikini clad woman in the poster. Morty turns around and gives you a half smile.

"Heya Tess… Trying to finish Thursday night's math homework." Morty was rubbing the back of his neck.

"You know it's Friday afternoon right?"

"Yeah… believe me, I know. I need to at least try to get this, you know?"

"Bring it here… maybe I can help…" you pat the side of the bed and Morty brings his paper over. As you pull up a leg on the bed and face him, he hands you the paper and plops down across from you. You smile and take a look at the math sprawled across the page. It looks like basic algebra but with equations you have never seen. They make sense, but there were better ways to solve the problem that made much more sense. Reading the top told you that they had to use this equation to solve the problems. You already starting hating this math class. "What the actual fuck Morty? Why would anyone use this equation? This makes no sense… it's like taking the long way home instead of calling for a ride…"

"It's a well-known equation Tess. We have to commit it to memory and then apply it."

"Argh… I know a much better equation that makes sense AND will arrive at the same answer."

"I bet you do. But I need to use this one…" Morty closes his eyes as his posture slumps forward. You can feel his pain.

"I know! How about I teach you my equation so you can better understand how to arrive at the answer. Maybe it will help you with this stupid, drawn out equation…"

"Sure. Whatever." He sounded like he was giving up. You look at him and notice that Morty wasn't exactly thrilled to be working on math problems. It made you sad. He was in to mechanics and liked watching you create things, but without a love or at least an appreciation of math, he would never be able to create those things with you.

"You are going to spend the day with me buddy. No choice. Rick never gives you a choice so now you are mine." You wink at him as you see his posture straighten and see that magnificent smile. You run off to warn Rick not to bug you today and tell Beth that you will be out and about with Morty.

You return to Morty's room with your portal gun. He smiles as he looks at it, and you create a portal to your dimension. Once in your lab, you give Morty a while to look around and take in everything. Then you sit down with him and show him one of your favorite weapons. You explain how to disassemble it, how the inner workings came to be, and demonstrate how to place everything back together. Morty is watching with large eyes. His mouth drops open when you hand the weapon to him and ask him to do the same. He followed your example and did everything the way you had. Once he started to assemble to weapon back together, he found a faster way to put two elements back on. He was done faster than your time and a large smile greeted yours.

"You know Tess… it made more sense to put this part on first instead of the way you did it."

"Yup. Kinda like that math worksheet. Your school has you working on an equation that is complicated; like how I showed you to reassemble the weapon. You found a better way but still put everything back in place the way it should be. Kinda like my equation. Two different ways that lead to the same result."

"Wow… I, I never thought of it like that." Morty ran back to his backpack and retrieved his homework page. "Okay, show me the way you learned…"

The next hour was spent showing Morty your equation and then having him demonstrate his school's equation. You watched as Morty worked through both and then saw the 'ah hah' moment. He stopped mid equation and stared at the large whiteboard he was working on. You stood up and walked towards the board and looked over at Morty. He was crying. Your heart began to race.

"What's wrong Morty? Are you alright? Did something happen?"

"It's not the problem…" he turns around and grabs a hold of you tightly. He buries his head against your chest and holds on tight. You let him get out whatever is going on as you hold him tight. After a while he breaks away and rubs his eyes, smiling up at you. "Thanks… really. You have no idea. No one… has ever… taken the time… to, you know… teach me." You stare at him silently.

"What? Seriously?"

"Yeah… Rick teaches on the go… more like survival skills and stuff. Mom is busy a lot and dad sometimes knows as much as me. Summer can be a B at times… So this is… this is… rare."

"Wow. Well, whenever you need this, please tell me. I taught myself. I can teach you too." You wink at him and pull him in for another hug.

"Oh, I also learned how to disarm a neutrino bomb…"

"Whaaaa?" Your mouth drops open to this. "Why would you ever need to?"

"Rick. When he gets really, really drunk… he will build one. Had to disarm about seven so far."

"Oh my goodness… that is too funny… well not for you to disarm but the fact he makes a bomb when super drunk. I tend to make giant weapons that would obliterate half a planet when super drunk. Or I just go nuts in the sack..." You look at Morty to see him blushing bright red. "What? You want me to filter what I say?"

"No! Goodness no. Please don't. I… I like hearing… you know… not like a pervert… it's just that you treat me like an adult… not like a… you know, a kid."

"When I was your age, I had to worry about where my food was coming from, how much money I needed to make, and what to learn next. I was forced to be a grown up at eight. No way am I going to treat you any different, young man. I treat Summer the same way. You guys have it in you to be adults… drinking, smoking and drugs don't make you an adult."

"Yeah. It's all about life's experiences huh?"

"Speaking of which… you know how difficult it can be to disarm a neutrino bomb? I'm proud of you!" Morty smiles again and stands up straight. "Who knows? Maybe it's Rick's way of teaching you something?"

"Really?" Morty cocks his head and stares at you. You start busting up laughing and he does too.

"Naw, I'm just fucking with you… Rick's not THAT smart." you wink at him again. "Now that we have finished with the fun stuff… it's time to dance!"

"Noooooo." Morty groans and places his math worksheet into his backpack with a frown.

"Come on. I have a cool idea."

You grab Morty and a small silver box. You punch in the coordinates to his school and make your way to the cafeteria. In the middle of the room you place the box and punch in some numbers on the top. The device opens up and creates a light blue hologram that covers the entire room. Morty smiles as he looks around to see holographic students dancing, a band playing on the stage, decorations and even chaperones along the outside walls.

"This is too cool! It totally looks like a homecoming dance!"

"Yeah, thank goodness Summer is _very_ descriptive. I figured this is the best way for you to learn. In a real simulated experience."

You excuse yourself with the extra bag you brought and get dressed in the girl's room. Summer let you borrow a short dress that she said other girls would be wearing to a homecoming dance. Apparently, this dance called for short dresses not long ones. Having never gone to a school before, let alone a dance, you were bowing down to her knowledge. When you came back in, Morty was talking to a particular red headed girl. You back away slowly and smile wide. He was explaining the holograms to her with a large smile. She was smiling back at him while playing with her hair. You hoped that Morty noticed that she was subtly flirting, but he didn't. He kept talking while she looked at him with a smile. It was painful to watch. Morty didn't notice anything and after a while Jessica excused herself and left the room. You walk slowly up to Morty shaking your head.

"Morty, Morty, Morty… We have a lot to work on dear."

"What?" Morty was still watching the exit Jessica took. Upon turning to talk to you, he looked down your body and started to blush crimson again. You smile and roll your eyes.

"Eyes are up here lover boy…" Of course the blush deepened. You chuckle and walk up to Morty. "You need to learn how to read the signs of a flirting girl… but first the slow dance. There is more to it than slow circles. You need to know how to respect space, when to move closer, and how to judge if she likes you or not."

"Okay. Thanks. And sorry." Morty rubs the back of his neck as you grab his shoulders.

"Hands on waist. Look up here. Focus on the girl. If all you're doing is gawking and turning in slow circles, you are going to feel creepy to a girl. Start a conversation. Talk about how good she looks or how nice the decorations are. Focus on trying to get her to smile and feel comfortable. Talk to her like a friend. If you want to move closer, skootch in an inch and let her move in the rest of the way. If she does, then yay; if not, don't beat yourself up. Allow the ebb and flow. She might not yet be comfortable with you." You talk about all this while slow dancing with Morty. He is looking at you, actively listening to everything you say.

"When do I know if it is the right time to kiss her?"

"Slow down… Sometimes a kiss doesn't even happen until the third or fourth date. Don't use my life as an example. I did things bass ackward. If you focus on kissing the girl… you may never get to the point where she gets to know _you_. She may just brush you off as another creep who only wants one thing. Got it?"

"Yeah. I do." Morty seems to be thinking about what you said as he slowly nods his head.

"By the way… not to be nosey… but have you even been with a girl?"

"Real girl?" he looks at you innocently.

"Uhm, didn't think there were options?"

"Oh. Well I meant, you know… this is awkward… You know of gazorpazorps?"

"Oh my… yes… how did you get… one of those… _robots_?"

"Rick."

"Go figure. Only Rick would buy his grandson a sex robot." You shake your head but couldn't help laughing. Then something occurred to you… "Was it working?"

"Yeah… got it pregnant. Had a son. He wrote a book about me too; how I was a horrible father." Morty was still dancing with you but started slow down.

"Wow…" was all you could get out before laughing your ass off. You couldn't help it. The thought of a half human, half gazorpazorp running around was too much. Morty started to laugh with you, tears forming in his eyes. You had to stop the dance to catch your breath. After getting that out, you place his hands back on your waist and resume the dance. "Alright. You've had experience with something that stays still… you know normal women don't do that right?"

"Yes Tess… Don't really want to have this conversation…"

"Ok. I'll give you that. If you ever want to know… I'll talk with you about that too. Have no issues discussing these things. But seriously… don't rush into anything. Have you kissed a real girl?" you wink at the last question.

"Yes. Geez. I have. Got to second base too. Just always happens in a life death situation… oh man, maybe I'm a pity sex kinda guy… Do you think girls see me as this? Awe man… that would suck."

"Whoa. Hold on there. We are talking about a dance, conversation and possibly a kiss. Not long term sexual relationships. And most guys would love to be the pity sex guy." Morty smiles up at you and closes the distance between you. You notice but it wasn't a deliberate move on his part. He was feeling comfortable.

"Ok. Watch for signs. Talk. Treat her like a friend. Open up. Try to get her to laugh. Be confident. Not nervous. Close distance but not too much. Relax." Morty repeats off everything as you close the distance enough so your bodies are touching. No blushing from Morty. He is still talking to you and he is not nervous. You smile large and he asks what is wrong.

"Do you realize that we have been dancing this close for about five minutes now?" He looks down and then starts to blush. You laugh. "You were doing so well too. You moved in closer at one point but didn't move in to have the bodies touch. Then I moved in closer and you still talked to me like nothing was going on. You were comfortable. You made me feel the same. That's what a slow dance is about." Morty looks at you and stops dancing.

"Thank you. I get it."

You walk over to the sliver box and collapse it, causing the hologram to disappear and the music to stop. Deciding not to remove the dress, you put on a coat and grab the duffle bag. Morty helps you carry stuff silently as you punch in the coordinates back to your place.

"You know… it's nice to be somewhere without Rick. Now that the citadel and the counsel are finished, there is really no reason for anyone to hunt him down."

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"Don't you know? The relationship between Ricks and Mortys?" You shake your head no and he continues. "Mortys are natural shields for Ricks. His genius waves are blocked by my… Morty waves. That way, no one can track him down. On the citadel, other Ricks were treating their Mortys as accessories. Something to dress up, you know? And there are replacement Morty vouchers! I was so mad at Rick when I first found out. I mean, geez, kinda makes you feel used you know?"

"Are you serious? I can't believe it. So you are saying that Ricks would drag their Morty around to shield themselves from people who would track them down using their genius brain waves? You don't think _Rick_ is the same _right_?"

"I thought so for a long time. I mean, we screwed up our original dimension… we came here where their Rick and Morty just died. We just buried the bodies and assumed their lives as if nothing happened. I thought if this was what Rick would do… then why would he care for me? But now… I'm not sure sometimes."

"It's not my place… but I think he cares more then you realize. That's all I'm going to say though." You see Morty smile again as he starts to collect his school things. You are lost in thought though. This could be another way for Kat'Rin to hold on to the Ricks. If she had their Mortys and they knew that without them their enemies would come… maybe… But that also made it more difficult to track them down. You sigh loudly.

"What's up Tess? You can also talk to me…"

"Okay. This is what I'm trying to figure out. The evil me, Kat'Rin has Ricks. One Rick that saved my life. He has a scar so I call him Scar Rick. I need to get back to him because Kat'Rin is a bitch. She is twisting them. Using them for ideas and building shit. If she has their Mortys… it will be harder to track them."

"How did you get back here?"

"Scar Rick placed in the coordinates and used my portal gun to send me back. He pushed me through actually."

"Oh! Then back trace it. Portal guns usually carry the destinations within. Even if you didn't log it in the memory… should still be there. You're lucky because it will be the only one you don't recognize, you know?" You stare at Morty with wide eyes and mouth dropped open. You run over to him and pull him in for a large hug and a kiss on the lips.

"You are a fucking genius! Don't let anyone tell you different!" You start laughing as Morty joins you. You now have a way to determine what dimension you were in when you last saw Scar Rick. From there you can track down her vessel. It would take a while to get the dimensional code from your device. Maybe a couple of days.

"Wow, thanks Tess! They use to have a big device that did that at the citadel. It got destroyed though. I didn't come up with that on my own."

"Stop selling yourself short bud. You helped out so much! I owe you big time!"

"Well… I would love to take you somewhere. You know, just the two of us?" He looks to the ground and starts rubbing his arms.

"Oh… someplace more quiet for some sexy alone time?" you wink as the blush covers his face again.

"Stop it! Geez… I was talking about Blips and Chitz…"

"Well why didn't you say so! My favorite place! Fuck yeah. Let me get this started and then we will go. We'll need Rick's portal gun though. But don't tell him about what I'm doing with mine yet. If this doesn't pan out…"

"No problem. I just want to make sure it's just us though. Rick has a habit of being… competitive. I just want to have fun."

"Oh… you wanna have fun. Thanks for letting me know. I get competitive too… But I can change for you honey…" Morty rolls his eyes as you bounce off to start the analysis on your portal gun. Rick didn't like giving up access to his, so he agreed to accompany you but stay out of the way.

The hours roll by as you play several different games with Morty, laughing and pushing him out of the way to cheat when his score came close to yours. Morty was laughing as well and starting playing dirty after a while too. Every so often you would see Rick watching from nearby, smiling at the two of you interacting. When you made eye contact once, he mouthed out 'I love you' and then disappeared again.


	32. Chapter 32

Chapter 32

Rick

"What the hell? Did you guys rob a toy store?" Beth laughs out as you and Morty enter from the garage.

"Mom! You have no idea… Tess is so good at those games… we won so much stuff." Morty replied as he dumped his stuffed animals on the couch.

"Seriously? Most of those are _your_ winnings! You were awesome! I'm taking you back if I ever need gifts for kids…" You laugh as you place the rest of the prizes along the couch.

"Well, I'm glad you two had fun." Beth smiles up at you, kisses Morty on the cheek and sends him upstairs with all his prizes. You can hear Summer squeal while Morty tells her to pick out her favorite. You turn to start back for the garage when you hear Morty call out.

"Tess! I picked one out for you!" Morty was only half way down the stairs when he tosses you a light blue bear. "Reminded me of someone!" You giggle as you nod your head; the bear's color matched Rick's hair. Beth laughs on the couch as she says goodnight. Upon entering the garage, you see Rick waiting with an eager look.

"Is it my turn now babe? Do I get some private time with you?" he wiggles his brow.

"You get private time almost every night babe." you walk over and wrap arms around his waist. He grabs the bear from behind you, sneers at it and tosses it aside.

"And believe me… I am grateful for that time. But I want to take you somewhere too…" he kisses your nose and walks away.

"Hey! You took me to my home world, and to that place to sing at… don't try to pull this 'feel sorry for me' crap. You also took over on Beth and Summer's night."

"Oh believe me… I remember that night…" he looks you straight in the eyes forcing out a blush. "Fuck babe… after all the nights with a Rick and _I_ can make you blush? Love it."

"Just because I have slept with two Ricks does not mean the experience is the same…" You grumble as you walk towards a work bench. Rick grabs you from behind and whispers in your ears.

"Am I that different?" His closeness causes the heat to swell and the heart to start pumping.

"Different? Um… well… yes. Your tastes are more… defined. More explorative but, refined… You obviously had more… experience. And… I'm… well… learning still… always..." You feel the blush coming on harder. You swore you would never make Morty blush on purpose again. _This sucks…_

"Babe… I may have been through more, and had more partners, but you… you are a different animal. And I mean _animal_ …" He bites your earlobe from behind as his hands trail down the front of your body. You tilt you head back as he kisses along the flower tattoo.

"I'm not an animal… Apart from growling and scratching… and sometimes wanting control… Okay, I guess I am." you whisper out.

"I desire you. Unlike anything else. As a matter of fact, this is not the place for this." Rick backs away and takes out his portal gun, fires it at the wall and walks through. You see his hand come back through and you grab a hold; Rick pulling you through.

On the other side of the portal is a white beach with a crystal clear blue ocean stretching out as far as the eye can see. You can smell the salt in the air and close your eyes to listen to the waves crashing on the sand. Rick walks towards you, taking off his jacket and shirt. He reaches out to you and pulls you tight against his body.

"There is always one thing I've been wanting to do." He raises his brow and winks. The way he was looking at you made you think that he may have been alluding to sex on the beach. Sand in places it shouldn't be came to mind and you close your eyes shaking your head. Rick started laughing. "No babe… not sex… are you, are you crazy? I'm all for a little pain, but salt and sand in all the intimate cracks is too much."

"Oh thank gods…" you sigh and lay your head against his chest.

"Naw, I wanted to get you here first. A little salt air, a little sun… You in a bikini I recently bought…" He fishes it out of his pants pocket as you crack up laughing.

"Seriously? The fact that you fit it in your pocket…" he pouts and gives the sad puppy dog eyes. "Fine. Give it here." He places it in your hand and you hold it up; all it had was string and patches of fabric so you weren't flashing off all the goods. You cock your head to the side as he smiles largely. He takes off his pants to reveal Bermuda shorts that were red with white tropical flowers on them. "Oh, and _that_ is what you are wearing? This seems unfair."

"Why _can't_ I be unfair every once in a while? I want to exploit you babe… can't blame me."

"Exploit me? Exploit me? Oh, I get you… Alright… I'll be right back." You shoot him an evil grin as you walk behind a giant rock and create a portal with your gun. You step through, change into the bikini, grab Summer, Beth, Morty and return. Everyone comes out from behind the rock and the look on Rick's face was worth it. Evil eyes shoot at you but slide into a huge laugh. Rick walks over to you as Morty and Summer start splashing each other in the ocean. Beth lays out a lawn chair and starts to read a book, smiling at the kids. Rick holds you from behind, whispering to you yet again.

"Knew I could count on you babe…"

"Wait… did you _know_ that I was going to do that?"

"I was _wanting_ you to do this. You, unlike the many, many others in my life, get me. You got my family to get back at me for the string bikini. I was expecting that you would do that. Without asking specifically…" Rick pulls your chin around for a kiss, holding on to your face. Surprisingly, with the string bikini on, he kept the encounter very PG.

The rest of the day was spent playing on the beach and in the ocean with the family. Everyone got wet, got sand in their cracks, and released some pent up tension that had been building for a while. The best part had to be the interaction among the family. For a good part of the activities, you stood back and observed how comfortable everyone was with each other. When you first got to the Smith house, there was a distance and a rigidity between everyone. There seemed to be something missing; Jerry probably. But from what you heard, Jerry had moved on with dating an alien and Beth was left at home to continue being a mother. She never got to be herself. Now you saw it. She was brutal to Rick with the teasing and the sand throwing. Summer and Morty dunked each other under the water more times then you thought necessary. You let them have their moment. Happy to at least be there to witness what a family was like. They included you in a lot of the activities as well, you were by no means left out. As the sun started to set, the kids packed everything up and left with Beth through the portal. Rick grabbed you and pulled you through another portal.

The next place was a small shack that had wood panel walls, a small kitchen, and a room to the right, an old couch, a fireplace and an animal skinned rug. Rick walks around you to light the fire as you look outside to see a black sky with light blue snow drifting from dark orange clouds. When you look back, Rick was sitting on the rug with a pile of old photos in front of him. You join, placing a nearby blanket around you; still had that damn bikini on. The photos looked old and dusty. You could tell they had been there a while, placed within the old shoebox. Rick started to go through each one, showing them to you with an explanation around each setting. There were old photos of him as a kid, taken by family members while he was running away. There was a blurry photo of his mother, no photos of his father, and various family members he told you about that disappeared when things got bad between his parents.

You sat for hours listening to his tales and staring at the old photos. He even showed you some wedding photos, pictures of a baby Beth and baby photos of the grandkids. He was proud of all the photos following his marriage. He looked happy in most of them. But you noticed a growing sadness behind the tired eyes. You recognized the look of a man who had seen too much; burdened with too much. You touch one particular photo…

"Taken a week before the shit hit the fan babe." Rick replied. "I was gone for about a month. Really crappy fight. I left for a short bit after that photo. When I came back, well… someone moved on with their life. In our bed too. Hated her for that. The sanctity of our fucking home. But I couldn't really blame _her_. The last few months were… hard… I was never really there when she needed me. Left most of the parenting to her too. But I couldn't tell her what was really happening. I just wanted to come home to a loving family… not rehash all the shit I went through. Fuck… fuck…" His head lowered as you placed a hand along his back. For him to open up like this about his life…

"I get it. Really. My ex was never out on the front line during the fights. I would spends months fighting along people and have them all die the next day. Faster healing and the redundancy system sucks sometimes. I lived with survivor guilt. He never understood… but then again I didn't want him to. We hide the scary shit to protect the ones we love, but end up pushing them away. By the time we realize it, they're gone." Rick looks up at you, eyes watery. You close the distance and kiss him on the lips then trail down the neck. "Wish _I_ could fuck you in that old bed of yours… teach her a lesson about sanctity…"

"Ha… fuck… me too babe." Rick chuckles as he lays you down on the rug to kiss you. He raises up to push all the photos to the side and stokes the fire once more. When he looks back to you, there is an odd look in his eyes. He almost seems sad about something.

"What's wrong? I see that sadness again…"

"Fuck babe… stop reading my mind. I'm worried. I would love for you to stop this chase. To leave Kat'Rin the fuck alone. To just be with me. But I know you can't. I know I couldn't if the roles were reversed. But still…" he shakes his head and closes his eyes. Still laying on the rug, you put a foot against his chest and push slightly. That causes him to laugh and stare at you.

"Just ask me. If you do… I will." Rick's eyes go wild. He pushes your leg away and lays against your body, one hand trailing down to untie the bottom of the bikini.

"I would never ask. I will support you forever… like a bra." You try to look seriously back at him and fail. Both of you laugh as he kisses you again. "Thank you for saying that though. I know you would. Whatever you need from me, I will give it to you. Now for the real reason I wanted you in this ridiculous excuse for swim wear…"

Rick lowers himself down the length of you and unties the other side with his teeth. He bites the rest of the bikini and pulls it down to your feet and tosses it aside with a wink. You smile as he kisses along your body until reaching the top. Again, with teeth, the fabric is untied and discarded with a growl and a brow wiggle. You laugh and shake your head; you love watching him when he's in a frisky mood. Rick tells you how important you have become, not just to him but to his family as well. You listen to everything and feel something inside wanting to come out. The truth. You push him down and straddle him, pinning his hands above his head.

"Now, just listen for a minute okay?" You start out but then pause for a bit. This was going to be hard. But you needed to get this out. The honest truth. "You are… you are the most important thing in my life… ever. I have never felt this way. You understand me. You don't question me. You get mad at me when you worry and when you are afraid… just like I do. You talk to me. You listen to me. You share experiences that I have gone through too. You don't doubt my abilities. You understand that some things need alcohol and some things need drugs and some things need sex. You are there and can be an ass to make me smile but know I need it and you do too. You kiss like I'm going to disappear and you fuck me like I'm the only thing that matters. You learn and adapt and surprise me in ways I thought I would never be surprised. The fact that you have had other lovers scares the fuck out of me. But makes me appreciate everything you have learned. I'm super possessive over you and if you ever fuck around on me, I will give that person back to you in small unidentifiable pieces…" Rick gives you an evil smile at that one. "But most of all, I have…" you voice starts to break. You take a breath but feel the tears starting to stream down. "Gods… I have never loved anyone like this before… you scare the shit out of me." Rick sits up with you on top and pulls you in for a long kiss. When you part you see him crying too.

"Fuck… I feel the same way babe. You scare me so much. I can never lose you. What have you done to me?" Rick backs away slightly and gives a small smile. "You know… you know what I told Morty once? That love was just a chemical reaction to increase the odds of procreation… that it wasn't real." He shakes his head and laughs. "Fuck… I don't know now. I thought I was in love once. Then… I didn't care. Then Morty… and Beth… Summer… fuck. Once I decided to remain here things changed. I changed. Then you. You. A strange girl who wasn't even really my type…" You hit him on the shoulder as he winks at you. "You figured me out. You already knew me. You didn't get offended to me being an ass. I couldn't piss you off and I tried. You knew why…" He is quiet for a bit and you let him be. The fire crackled behind you as you just sat on his legs and watched the light flicker on his face. He was deep in thought and staring off at something unseen.

Slowly, Rick brings his eyes to yours and smiles. You can feel his body relax as he looks at you. Deciding that the moment to talk was over, you push him down and kiss him. His hands run softly along the sides of your body and back up. He pulls strands of your hair behind your ear while he watches you. You straighten up and position yourself above his shorts. You roll your eyes at him, complaining that you always seemed to be naked before him. Lowering yourself back against his chest, you kiss him again and trail downward. A wicked grin crosses your face as you kiss along his stomach while keeping eye contact. Rick had brought his hands behind his head to support watching you. You bite the top of the trunks and growl as you pull them downward. He lifts his hips to help as you bring your hands to the sides to assist while dragging the material over the growing bulge. Rick continues to watch you as you slide the trunks off and crawl back on top of him.

Once again you position yourself directly on top and start to rub your body along the length of him. A sigh comes from Rick as he closes his eyes to the sensations. His length sliding along you creates a sensation that grows along the stomach as you quicken your movement. You let out a moan as the length slides within and you sit back fully allowing yourself a moment to savor the feeling of him within you. Slowly you start to move around while still sitting and Rick brings his hands to the sides of your hips to guide you. His eyes open as he asks you come back down to him. Slowly you lower yourself, allowing him to grab a breast and play along the erect nipple. The sensations escalate as you push and lift yourself along him. Rick leaves one hand around your bottom to grip as you pull off him to crash back down. Your breath is coming quicker along with his as he pulls you in for a deep kiss of tongue and lips. He pulls in your lower lip to suck on as you grind your body harder against him. More moans escape as the ever present heat fills you to escape along his body. Rick moans in return as he pulls you against him, flipping you over to lay you against the ground.

With Rick on top, things change. The slow movements conducted by you are changed to a faster pace with crashing beats that echo through the room. The fireplace heat is no match for the one he is building within you as you drop your guard completely. All those years of being afraid and aware of your abilities and avoiding anyone but your ex come crashing down. Rick sits upright and yells out a curse with his eyes closed. You feel him pull your legs upright, holding on to your ankles as he crashes in multiple times, orgasm racking against you as he finishes. Rick lowers your legs and stares at you, sweat falling from his brow, his breathing slows. Shock was on his face as he tells you about the intense rush he felt, as if he could feel your orgasm as well. He lowers his head to rest against your brow as he describes the sensations he felt and yes, those were yours. A heat washes over you again and this time you follow its beat. You push Rick back along the floor and tell him to trust you. He closes his eyes with a large smile and relaxes against your body.

You move downward to where he laid limp against his leg. Using one hand to grip, you take him into your mouth experiencing how easy it was to manipulate him when soft. Rick's breath quickens as his hand grips your hair. He is telling you how amazing this is, the sensations and the movements. You suck and pull gently, playing with the flesh as you start to feel the firmness return. Rick is cursing above you as he rocks his hip in time with your raise and fall. Once returned to normal firmness, you grip tightly with one hand and focus on his tip, exploring with tongue. Rick calls out again, asking for more, pushing his hips upward and back down. You let him create the rhythm as you suck harder. Movements start to quicken as you release him to allow his breathing to slow. Curses are thrown at you for stopping and you laugh asking that he take you from behind. It didn't take long for him move you into position and ram into you. His hands against your ass grip tightly as he takes control of the movements. After a while, Rick slowly moves you downward, still pushing his length within you.

You are laying flat on the ground while he is still able to push his full length within you, his legs inside yours, pressing them outward to allow more of an entry. His breath is quickening as is yours. You can feel a duel awareness within you… one is yours and the other… you feel the sensation of pushing within a tight, heat filled wetness. You scream out from the multitude of feelings that erupt from within. An orgasm rolls along your body as you tense up to feel it create a tingling sensation that runs down your legs. Rick curses again and pulls out suddenly. He barks at you to stand up in front of him. As you do, his hands grip your ass and pull you against his mouth. His tongue skillfully plays along your center to create another orgasm so quick after the last. You scream out over this new, intense tightening of core muscles as Rick stands up along you and shoves you against a wall. Those lean muscles lift your legs up as he crashes into you, cursing about how you have undone him. You can feel him tighten as the blood rushes forward into a rocking ejaculation that sets you mind spinning. _Oh gods, if this is what a man feels… no wonder they want to fuck all the time…_ Soon after another pulse rocks against you but not as intense. This one is almost an aftershock that, in a way, creates more pleasure for you as it spreads along your body. You feel as if you are floating, losing all sense of gravity for a couple of seconds as the tingles and pulses flow through your limbs. Rick is still supporting your weight and sighs against you.

"Fuck babe. I felt that. I felt all of that. Did… did you?" he managed to say in between breaths.

"Yeah. Holy fuck… so that's what you guys feel… it's so intense. So primal…" you breathe out as well.

"Primal… well yours is definitely not. Yours is almost, seductive at times. Damn. I need a shower… come on." He walks you to the back of the bedroom and takes his time cleaning you. Every muscle is sore and weak as he washes you. He seems to understand and lifts you into the bed to cover you up. He returns to the shower and cleans up as well. Once under the fluffy comforter, Rick grabs a hold of you from behind and whispers how much he loves you. You barely hear him as you drift off to sleep; fully worn out and satisfied.


	33. Chapter 33

Chapter 33

The Portal

Rick decided to go home while you exited back to your base. Once again, you plugged in your portal gun for analysis. Though it was much needed at the beach, that time could have been spent going through the data within to help triangulate the first dimension you left from. Thankfully the data caught up to where it left off and continued slowly from there. With time on your hands, you decide to work on a new weapon idea you had. A couple of hours pass as you consume yourself with the diagrams and pieces of machinery needed to complete your design. The stiffness forming on the back of your neck confirms that you had spent too long in one place and you retreat to the sparing room. It had been years since you were able to let off steam in this room. You stretch and run through forms learned by various masters from numerous planets; each form committed to muscle memory. For a long time you preferred hand to hand combat. You were able to control the ebb and flow of the battle and with your natural ability to avoid the touch of others, you were quick with evasion. It wasn't until that one soldier…

 _He had snuck up on you from behind but you were already on him. Quick movements led to quicker reactions as he blocked and used his body weight against you. Time after time you evaded blows but you could feel the momentum dying. Your stamina was giving way and that meant death. One strike to the stomach sent him downward as you lunged for him. Once on top, you take out your knife and strike it into his chest. The slick entrance brought back memories from your childhood. The blood that poured forth sent you in a panic as you struggled to get off of the body and away from the blood. You sat there, in the corner of the room for hours until your team found you._

After that incident, you preferred long range weaponry. Close fighting that resulted in someone dying, hit you too personally. All this ran through your mind as you practice your strikes against the wooden form along the wall. Your arms were used to the damage and had built up callouses. Memory drives you to push through harder and faster. You lose track of time, absorbed in memories of losing friends, being helpless, defenseless, weak… You grab the wooden form and rip it off the wall, throwing it with a crash against the other wall… inches from where Rick was standing.

"Holy shit babe!" He yells out at you, jumping to the side.

"Sorry Rick…" you breathe heavily, your hands resting against your knees.

"What the fuck… you're bleeding." Rick points to your arms as you look down to notice the dark trails of blue. You fall to your knees and catch your breath. Rick runs over and starts to tug at his shirt to rip it. You stop him.

"Watch…" You wipe off the blood from your forearms as the wounds start to heal over; they were barely scratches. Rick stares where the wounds were and whistles.

"Nice. I remember you telling me about the downsides too." Rick helps you back on your feet and kisses you on the forehead.

"I was practicing… Haven't done this in a while. Got angry. Careless. Need to spar… clear my head some." Rick backs away from you and removes his lab coat. He starts to stretch and gets into a fighting stance. You smile and cock your head. " _You_ fight?"

"Seriously? Fucking son of a pansy assed… yes _I_ fight bitch! Come at me!"

You let out an evil grin and run into him. He changes his stance, expecting a frontal rush, but you switched direction and slid along his side, jumping up behind him to strike him on the back. Rick, however, was faster than you presumed and rolled to the side after you slid forward. You stand and walk slowly to the side, the rush of a challenging opponent thrilled you. This time it is Rick who rushes in, grabbing your arm and wrenching it behind you, pushing you up hard against the nearby wall. One leg presses between yours, pinning you against the wall and his body. He whispers snarky responses into your ear as you feel the rush of heat fall along your body. You arch your back and turn you head towards Rick, licking along his jaw line, begging him to take you from behind. He growls against you and lowers his guard for a quick second. That, of course, was all you needed to change positions and slam him up against the same wall in the same hold. As you press into him harder, you hear worse comments from him. You tried to hold in laughter as he begged you to buy a strap on one day and that being fucked from behind by you would be an experience he would never forget. You tried to focus again as he wiggled his ass and said he would let you dominate him whenever you wanted.

The laughter finally got you and you backed away from the wall, releasing your grip. Rick shakes his shoulders and winks. He jokes again about how he too can use sex to disarm. You both walk to the center of the room and exchange strikes and blocks; each trying to gain control over the other. One foot back and another foot forward creates a dance of deadly outcomes. You were surprised with how fast he was during combat. He was able to think on his feet and adjust depending on your movements. Rick got in a couple of strikes that snuck up on you. Two throws were executed successfully by you but Rick was able to recover and strike back with lightning speed. The tit for tat was exhilarating. After a while, the breathing slows and the movements become sluggish. You both laugh as a throw fails and you land on top of Rick. He looks up at you and smiles.

"Wow babe. You're amazing."

"You should have seen me on the battle field. I'm sure I have vids somewhere." You raise off of Rick and help him stand. From a couple of rooms over you hear a ping from the machine, making you aware that an unknown dimension was located. Rick lifts his head and asks what that sound meant. You always hated lying to Rick so you redirected him. You shrug your shoulders and walk against him for a kiss. His hands snake around your waist as the two of you enjoy the moment.

"I get it… You don't want me to know yet…" You laugh as Rick winks at you. "No, no problem babe. I won't pry. Just, be careful. I know you can take care of yourself, but I still worry."

"I know. I'll try not to get myself into trouble. I'm not even sure if what I'm trying to do will pan out." You give him another kiss and he exits through a portal.

You run to the other room and start typing away on the keyboard. The device found several different dimensions which you were able to weed out. One stood out. One that you had only been to once. You retrieve a notepad and scrawl out the digits and letters. A part of you wanted to punch in the coordinates now and return, grab Scar Rick and portal back. You shake your head and know that would never happen. He would never return with you. You needed more information on the ship, the types of weapons, the innocent lives held captive, just more details on everything. You sit back in your chair and try to strategize what to do next. You contemplate letting Rick know what you found. He would be able to let the team know what was going on so they could plan… but then again they would probably storm in unprepared and get captured.

You rub your eyes and groan. This was useful information but wasn't. There were still problems. You still didn't have a direction to move in. Grabbing your portal gun, you punch in the coordinates to the memory center and throw the device on the table. What you didn't expect was the gun flashing and creating a portal against the wall. You scramble for the device and turn it off, slowly turning around to see Scar Rick shaking his head slowly.

"What the fuck?" you stumble out.

"You didn't think I was going to let you back trace to my dimension did you? I set a warning to go off in _mine_ if you ever committed it to the memory of _yours_. That way I could jump here and yell at your dumb ass for even _attempting_ to find me again!" He was yelling at you now, backing you up against the desk. "What the fuck were you thinking? I specifically told you to let this one go. Let me go. I will handle things. _Fuck_!" You were about to respond back when he yanks you against him and kisses you with a passion that set you off guard. You kiss him back, lost in the heat that was pressing in against you. He backs away suddenly and you stumble forward a bit, shaking your head.

"I wasn't going to go _now_ … I'm not suicidal. I was plugging it in for later." you mumble out stubbornly.

"Sure. Whatever…" he seemed distant as he was talking to you. His back was turned so you couldn't see his face. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to force you like that. That's not alright, no matter how I feel." The words echo within you. Forced. You stumble backwards and fall into your chair. Scar Rick whips around and is on his knees in front of you. "Tess?"

"Sorry. I had a… run in… with another one of Kat'Rin's Ricks."

"What? When?"

"The one sent to retrieve Moriah." You hear Scar Rick inhale suddenly.

"Yeah. Know him. Got it pretty bad from Kat'Rin. When he first rebelled against her, she tortured his daughter. Made a lot of us watch too. Fuck… it was bad. Put a lot of us in our places, but not him. He was intent on leaving. When he found Moriah… a lot of us helped him remain unseen… until we couldn't…" His face went dark.

"Yup. Caught up with him afterwards. He was… in a… bad… state." you grab a hold of your arms and look downward. Scar Rick holds your chin, looks in your eyes and curses loudly.

"That fucking son of a BITCH! If he wasn't already dead… how DARE HE!" Scar Rick stands up and throws an item from your table against the wall, shattering it. His shoulders are tense and his breathing is harsh. The anger is holding him hostage and you can see the physical reaction he was having just holding it back. You walk over to him immediately and hold him from behind. He jumps at the motion, his whole body going tense and then he relaxes. You can hear him breathing deeply as he rests his hands on your arms. "He forced you… used the bond against you… didn't he?" he whispered.

"Yeah. It was weird. I was in a daze. Didn't really know what was going on. When he… entered, I thought he was my Rick… the heat felt almost cold though. I don't feel like I've been raped. But I know that if I was aware of what he was doing, I would have stopped him." You close your eyes as Scar Rick turns around.

"Did this Rick find out?"

"Yeah. I made him walk to Rick and tell him everything he was asked. Later Rick found me and told me he killed him. That the other wanted to die. Said things to set him off."

"All he probably had to say was that he fucked you… bastard. Good for your Rick. I'll remember that. Sorry you had to experience that. It's the same with her. You think you want it. You know you do. Then… then…" he goes silent and still. You wait him out, not knowing if he wants to tell you or not. Then he replies very silently. "She records us. Everything. Plays it back. Oh my god… the things…" he starts to sob. He falls to his knees, holding on to your waist and crying. You let him. He needs this.

After a while you hear another portal open up and close your eyes at the inevitable meeting.


	34. Chapter 34

Chapter 34

The Meeting

"What happened? Is he alright?" Rick comes running over as Scar Rick stands up, looks to you and wipes the tears from his face.

"I'm alright." He turns to look at Rick. "So, you're the one I forced into her life. At least you took care of her…"

"What…" Rick cocks his head and crosses his arms. "Am I supposed to thank you?"

"Fucker… would be nice considering I _regret_ that decision." Scar Rick crosses his arms too. The two spend a couple of minutes staring at each other as you remain silent. Then they both laugh and shake their heads. "Fuck man… made a good choice…"

"Yeah, thanks asshole. You, you could have… you know… but you didn't… means a lot…"

"No worries. But I warn you, the more time you leave me alone with her, the less you will be able to trust me…" Scar Rick pulls you to his side and kisses you on the cheek while staring at Rick. You roll your eyes and push away from him.

"I would ask if you two wanted to be alone to compare dick sizes… but you already know the answer… gods…" You throw your hands up in the air as the two chuckle. You return to your desk and take a seat. "I assume you guys need time to chat… Scar Rick, can you spend the time here? Will it get you in more trouble?"

"Scar Rick? Scar Rick. Nice…" he rolls his eyes.

"Hey, I met another one with a tattoo and I call him Tattoo Rick. It's not like I can walk into a room and just say _Rick_ …" you roll your eyes back at him.

"Whatever… I can spend some time here. I can make excuses. But I'm not sure what I can provide…" Scar Rick leans against your desk right next to you as Rick pulls a chair and straddles it across from you.

"Alright, first we need to know why Kat'Rin is after Tess. I don't want her to track us here." Rick starts out.

"She won't. Trust me on this. Kat'Rin is… busy at the moment." Scar Rick looks to the side and away from you.

"Does she have hostages?"

"Hostages? Not like that. She has Mortys to keep us hidden. She has… some… Elizabeths and Summers too. Not sure how many. Not sure _whose_ they are either. We never really know. She uses them when she wants to make a point." Scar Rick's voice is quiet and almost dismissive. You wonder how many times he has been forced to watch one of them get tortured or die.

"Do you know where?" Rick asks quietly.

"Nope. No idea. None of us do. It's a big ship. Mortys are not harmed. She understands what will happen if there are not enough to hide us. She definitely does not want anything to happen to her Ricks." You catch the tone of voice around the last statement. Pure disgust.

" _Her_ Ricks huh?" Rick caught it too. "So do you think she is going after Ricks on purpose? Collecting them?"

"Dunno… whatever…" Scar Rick is starting to distance himself from the conversation and you can see his eyes glazing over.

"Okay… so how long have you been with her? What do you know?" Rick changes the subject and you see Scar Rick glance back over to him, eyes focusing.

"Long time. There was another before me. Don't know where he is. Not sure about his story. I bet he would know more about her though. I… I only know my story. Not sure I want you to know though…"

"Oh… you need more time alone with Tess huh? I remember what you said asshole…" Rick points to Scar Rick. Scar Rick gives an evil grin in return and chuckles.

"Fuck man… sharp as a tack huh? Seriously though… it's a fucked up story. When did _you_ leave Earth?"

"Nineteen. Her Rick left at seventeen. Something… kept _me_ back." Rick started to sound distant. This was never a good story; you knew that your ex left before something horrible happened between _his_ parents.

"Lucky bastards. I was well into my twenties when I got out. Not worth staying man. What got you to exit?" Scar Rick pulled himself up on the table to sit. You stayed quiet; you wanted to hear but were afraid if you made your presence known that they might ask you to leave.

"Dad turned into a bigger dick. Mom asked me to stay. Then she ended up in the hospital. Police tried to get her to point a finger. She didn't. The bitch covered for him." Rick lowered his chin against the back of the chair he was straddling.

"Then you left?"

"Yep. Didn't want to see what happened next. Heard later that things got _much_ worse before it stopped for good…"

"I was there for _that_. But mine happened earlier. I was about sixteen. I walked in to him… beating her… and… and… fuck." Scar Rick started to rub his eyes and shook his head suddenly. He looks at you and you could see the pain behind those distant eyes. "He was raping her. I tried to stop him and he knocked me out. When I came to, he was gone and I had to call for help. She didn't turn him in. So I went and beat the shit out of him. I took it too far. Killed him." Rick stood up and moved to lean in against the table next to Scar Rick. The simple action seemed to help Scar Rick as he continued. "I turned myself in. She didn't back up my story about the abuse and the rape. They sent me to juvie. Then she killed herself. Got out and got really, really, drunk and very, very, high. Went off planet and continued to blur days and nights. Then I met Kat'Rin. Fuck. She flirted with me. I don't even fully remember. She took me in. Helped me got off drugs and alcohol. I honestly thought she was in love with me. She was by me all the time. We did everything together. Then I saw someone… reminded me of a gal from high school or something. Knew it couldn't be her but kept my attention for a while. She noticed… thought I was looking elsewhere. That's when it started." Scar Rick held on to himself and seemed to shrink inward. You stand up and sit on the table next to him, wrapping an arm around his shoulders. Rick moves in a bit closer and places a hand at his back.

"Dude. You don't have to go on…" Rick said while patting him.

"I kinda need to. Just get it out for once." He sat up a bit straighter to continue. "I assured her that I wasn't looking around like that. Told her why. She got really jealous. It grew too. Real bad. She started assuming things were going on. As if she had it happen before. Started yelling and saying things… Started telling me I was just like him. Then it started. The domination. I… I liked it at first. She was so possessive over me. I never thought anyone ever wanted me… always heard I was worthless, you know? But the pain… too much. Her anger was too much. Then the bond… well you know about that Tess…" he leans in against you and closes his eyes. You look above his head to see Rick's face. He is angry, protective.

"Fuck this shit… you… you don't have to go back. We'll protect you. Fuck her! No Rick deserves this shit… well, maybe some Ricks would really enjoy that shit… but this is too fucked up for _us_." Rick jumps off the table and starts to pace. "Let's get the coordinates to the team and fucking ambush that bitch. What the fuck could she do huh? Once the other Ricks see us… they'll fight back! Fuck we can't just sit here on our asses… Tess, you agree right?" he was yelling and talking with his hands swinging wildly in the air. Scar Rick lets out a chuckle and looks at you. There is a softness in his eyes now. Probably from another Rick getting as pissed at the whole situation as he was. He sneaks in a kiss on the cheek before addressing Rick.

"Stop man. Really. There are some Ricks that would jump at the chance to help overthrow her. But there are still some that prefer the… fucked up shit she does. Not sure if they are as twisted as her or if it's a manifestation of that power she holds. Don't care. To me, if they support her, they're as good as dead. I'm weeding those ones out. Priority is saving any of the Mortys, Elizabeths, or Summers."

"Wait…" Rick stops mid stride and looks at Scar Rick. "Did you ever meet Diane?"

"No." his tone is quiet. "Never had kids or grandkids. Still hurts though… when I see them. What could have been…"

"Fuck…" Rick sighs out. Everyone is quiet for a while. Scar Rick was with Kat'Rin for about as much time as you were with your ex.

"Can Kat'Rin have kids?" you ask in a whisper. Scar Rick looks at you.

"No. Said it was something that was done to her before she could remember." He is still watching you as you shudder. An arm goes around you as Rick looks on sadly. You had told Rick that same thing once. At least _that_ was a blessing in disguise.

"Good." was all you said as you hopped off the table and walked out of the room. There was something about the building tension and the revelation around what Scar Rick has had to endure that made you want to exit. You could hear their voices continue on without you and you were glad. You didn't want to hear anymore. She was you. Another version, sure, but still you. You shudder again thinking that all this could be inside you, waiting for a reason to come out. But then again your bond or power was different. You couldn't manipulate Ricks. They could do that to you. What if some of them found out about that… the ones who became twisted like her. You needed to get your mind off of all this.


	35. Chapter 35

Chapter 35

The Tune

You walk toward the back of the base where you kept your recording equipment. Music always helped redirect you when things or information became too much. You needed to keep your mind off of things for a while. There were a couple of songs you wanted to record anyway; tunes that had been running around in your head for a while. You take out the mixer and set up the drum machine, placed the turn tables and fired up the monitors. A lot of your sounds were prerecorded vocals or snippets of tracks that you gathered throughout your life. A particular tune kept circling around and you play it out on the keyboard to help redirect you. You repeated the seven note tune as you added in a basic beat and bass line. Layers were added on top of layers until a swirl of music enveloped you within the small recording studio. You close your eyes and let the beat take over. Your body sways and hands move in the air around your body as you feel the song taking over. Lyrics come next. You move towards the mic. Words spill forth and mix into the driving, seven note tune. Again, words never meant anything to you when creating. Sometimes you were surprised when you listened to recordings… the topics were inner thoughts and feelings; emotions you couldn't give voice to in another venue.

Today was no different. The lyrics came and left to build a crescendo along with the additional beats and breaks built into the set. The mood was solemn. The tone wavered between being lost and running away. Your body swung with the music and you enveloped it within you; letting it takes its course until the end. The silence was deafening. The end of a song always left you empty; like spilling forth something which had overflowed. This emptiness was different. It needed to come out and it needed to be now. You shake your head and turn to see Scar Rick on the other side of the glass. He points at you and then at the ground in front of him.

"What's up buttercup?" you ask with a smile. His look was not pleasant though…

"What the fuck was that?"

"Music I hope… Did it sound that bad? I kinda liked it…" You shrug your shoulders and Scar Rick pushes you back against the glass roughly.

"That is not what I am talking about… What… the… fuck… was… that?" each word was emphasized as he pressed his body along yours. His hands held your shoulders tight against the glass as he stared directly into your eyes. It was hard to read him. There was too much baggage to figure out what he might be referring to. You decide to play it out like on the ship and go limp, placid.

"I create music and sing when I am overwhelmed. Music is a part of my life. Numbers are notes to me. Words are lyrics that I don't fully understand until I listen to the track afterwards. There is a lot you could be asking about. Please help me understand." you spoke softly to him, not moving. He started to let up on your shoulders and closed his eyes to breath slowly. After a few minutes he started to chuckle and released your shoulders. He placed his hands on the glass to either side of you but still left himself pressed up along the length of you.

"That tune… fuck… that's the code for my personal quarters…" Scar Rick lets out a breath and watches you. Your face must have blushed as you closed your eyes. Now it made sense. The music wanting to get out was centered on the person you were worried about. Then you feel the blush spread as your mouth drops… _fuck, the words…_

"Um… those words… I don't know what I said… um…" you were stumbling over what to say, worried that you may have sang about something personal… or worse. You look up to get some baring as Scar Rick leans in close, hesitant on a kiss. His breathing quickens as you feel his body react. His fingers are pressing into the glass, creating a slight sound from the rubbing along the surface.

"I find it hard sometimes… to believe that Ricks can control you. You seem to have way too much control over _me_ …" He closes the space between your lips for a light touch that creates a fire. You hear him moan as he slowly backs away. His hands are the last to leave the area as you continue to look into his eyes. "I desire you like no else…" He turns and leaves the room. You slid down along the glass wall and hold on to your knees. _What the actual fuck is going on…_

You remain on the floor for a while, trying to process everything that happened. Scar Rick has made no effort to hide his growing feelings for you. This shouldn't have surprised you; it shouldn't have gotten to you like this. But it did. You close your eyes and lay your forehead against the top of your knees. Your entire life has been with one man… You never even thought of looking elsewhere; never even flirted with anyone. There were nagging thoughts that this may have not been the case with him… All that mattered to you in the end was that your husband returned to you and loved you with the same passion he did upon first meeting. You knew he would sacrifice everything for you; he did. But now…

You met another Rick. You fell in love again when you thought it impossible. You love him in a whole new way. And then Scar Rick… you don't know what is going on. You care for him too. You want to protect him and get him away from the shit he is going through. But you are drawn to him in a completely different way. He is not afraid to express his desire… same with Rick but Scar Rick doesn't joke around about it. You let out a deep sigh and then yell out in frustration.

"What was that?" Rick yells rounding the corner and looking at you. "What happened? Are you alright?" He drops down in front of you, concern on his face.

"I hate Ricks…" you look up at him with a scowl. Rick starts to laugh and sits down across from you.

"Fuck… I get it babe. We're assholes. Let me guess… he's letting you know how he feels." Rick has a grin on his face. That just makes you angrier.

"Yes! Motherfuckers! You think this is funny? Do you?" you lean forward and push him backward as he laughs more. "You wouldn't think it was so funny if you saw it happen…"

"True. But hearing about it is…" he wiggles his brow at you and stands up, lifting you up into his arms. "Feel better now?"

"Yes. Thanks. Asshole. You know how torn I feel?"

"I get it. I do. Fuck, I barely know him and even I want to protect him. I usually hate other Ricks. They are so self-absorbed and nihilistic."

"Oh yeah… nothing like you…" you reply sarcastically.

"Exactly!" Rick chuckles. "This guy… I have respect for him. It dwindles every time I hear how he wants to fuck you though… but can't blame him. You're fucking hot babe."

"Yeah, right. I remember you saying how I wasn't your type…" you lay your head against his chest.

"I lied. You are the serious type. Not the 'I'll fuck her a bunch of times then leave' type. That's the usual type. My last lover was a hive mind, for crying out loud…"

"A hive mind? What the fuck? Should I worry…" you look at him in shock.

"Not anymore..." he holds on to your chin and lays a simple kiss against your lips. "I'm content in your arms."

"For now huh?" you wink at him.

"For always… why? You want to add in a third?" You freeze in his arms and look up at him. You couldn't tell if he was joking or not. "Wow… love that look on your face babe. Never had a three way?"

"Ok… so not talking about this…" Rick is laughing as you feel a deeper blush appear and you push away from him. Lately, he has taken a habit to enjoy poking fun at your sexual inexperience. Then again, you were not sure if anyone else had _his_ experience.

"It's alright babe…" he yells after you when you turn to leave. "Two Ricks can't be considered cheating right? Do you think that would be considered Rickcest? You know, instead of incest?" He starts laughing louder as you chuckle yourself and shake your head. You know now that he is doing this on purpose. Walking in to the next room, Scar Rick was peering around the corner.

"Did I just hear him say Rickcest?" Scar Rick raises his brow.

"Don't ask… please don't ask…" you plop down on the couch as you hear another chuckle.


	36. Chapter 36

Chapter 36

The Scars

Scar Rick stuck around long enough to make himself some food and then headed back to his own dimension. You tried not to think about what awaited him upon his return. He had assured you that he would be fine and that you needed to trust him about this. The unease did not subside once he walked through his purple and red portal. Rick, on the other hand, spent a lot of time chatting to Scar Rick about his particular portal with its unique power source. Once gone, Rick sat on the couch with you and started drawing out diagrams around what he was told. You eagerly watched as he drew out the inner modifications of Scar Rick's device and the changes to the power conduits. At one point, you started to add equations to the pages that matched the drawings. Rick started handing you more blue prints to continue on the other schematics. There was not much talking but data was shared and calculated. It was another reminder of how well you two fit together. A couple of hours drifted by when you hear a ringtone. Rick sits up and pulls out his phone.

"What's up SumSum?" he asks then pauses, listening to the response from the other end. "Uh huh. Sure. I'll let her know." Rick puts the phone down and continues working. A couple of minutes go by while you stare at him.

"Let her know what?" you ask.

"Oh, Summer wanted me to tell you that Morty got to dance with Jessica. Poor kid. Love sucks…" You hit him on the shoulder hard. He rubs the area and winks. "See, I told you…"

"Oh my gods… I can't believe he did it! I will have to get the whole story later. I'm so proud of him!" you give a huge smile as Rick pulls you against him for a kiss.

"You know, I really appreciate how much you love the family. Never knew that was a possible turn on." He kisses you again and lays you along the couch. You raise an eyebrow and run hands through his hair.

"I am much more comfortable with this conversation." you kiss back. Rick pulls up and gets an evil look on his face.

"Awe… I liked the Rickcest one…"

"You would." You pull your hands behind your head as Rick sits up and starts drawing again. "What do we do now? There is another Rick out there that might give us more information… Or do we ask Scar Rick to snoop around and possibly get caught?"

"Fuck no. I don't want him to get in trouble over us." he rubs the back of his neck. "I shared all the info I could with the team. Except the dimension code. Told them I had it for future use. But you are right about forming a plan. I wanted to stick around to get this out and make sure you were alright."

"I'm fine. I worry."

"Because you love him too." Rick said matter-of-factly. You sit up and stare at him. He looks back to you. "I'm not an idiot. I know how he affects you. I see how he treats you. He's another Rick. You spent your life with a Rick. I understand. But… there will be a fight in the end. Maybe…" Rick holds your face and kisses you. You are still in shock over what he said. But he was right.

"Rick…"

"Don't worry babe. We will figure all this out and then work on the _other_ problem." He smiles at you and kisses your hand as he gathers up the blueprints and creates a portal. "Gotta go share these. I have an idea but need more help from the team."

"Ever going to share who this team consists of?"

"People I trust. Love you."

"Love you too." You watch as Rick disappears and you are left alone. The base seems empty now. Never before had you wanted people here and now you don't like it being empty. You sigh and contemplate going back to the recording studio for another song. The television flashes and you look up to see an incoming call from a trusted dealer. You grab the remote and accept the call.

"Tess… I'm glad I got a hold of you." The call was from a former street rat who had a great talent for keeping his ear to the ground across the galaxy. If anything needed to be kept a secret, he would know that secret.

"What's up?"

"I got that info you wanted. Comes with a high price sweetheart. Had to sacrifice a comrade."

"Never asked for that… That was your call darling. What's the price…" you loved negotiating with this guy. He was a joy to bargain with. Plus he loved men… you felt way more comfortable flirting with him.

"Well… considering your amazing taste in men… Have you talked him into visiting me?"

"You know Rick's dead. Don't bullshit me."

"Naw… you know I would never _bullshit_ you, love. You are the apple of my eye. My blue skies…" Now this was information you needed. He was giving it to you for free. He was worried about something.

"Lover boy, tell me what you desire and I'll make those dreams come true…"

"Not dreams baby… reality. I only want what I can touch… or poke…" he winks at you and you get the true meaning behind the words chosen. There was a Rick in this dimension. One that has been poking around for information. Not a rumor either… fact. _Fuck…_

"You can poke me all you want… give me details baby. Want me to take my shirt off this time? Or shall I strip all the way?" You start to unbutton your shirt, showing cleavage. He didn't look, was never interested but there were always hidden meanings to everything you two did.

"Oh baby. Take it all off. Your sweet body haunts my dreams. Right to my core. I always ask my people to make sure you have everything you need for our roundez-vous. All the toys…" Fuck… your weapon facilities. He was asking not only about you but where your shit was as well.

"Will we get to play alone this time? You know I hate when you bring others to our parties…" you stand up and remove your shirt, bending over again to place cleavage out in front of the camera. He looks directly at your eyes.

"I'm afraid I already promised others… you are so good at making sure we all feel at home." Fuck again… he went to Earth.

"Well baby… I'm afraid we have no deal." you say sweetly as you put your shirt back on. "I don't play well with others…"

"Oh no… I'm afraid I messed up on this one then. How about for my faux-pas I give you the information you desired for free. Upon our next meeting, I will demand a private performance. Deal?" his voice sounded the same but you could tell that he no longer wanted to be a part of this deal and this information.

"Deal baby… until we meet again my love."

"Yes, until then. Keep warm." He signs off and you receive a private transaction containing an encrypted file with the information you asked for.

You sit back on the couch and go over the material you were given. First off, the fact that he gave it to you for free and as a warning worried you. He knew Rick was dead. He felt it necessary that you knew that Rick was back alive and looking into areas that you had been to. It would also indicate that he was once again in contact with the resistance. This Rick seemed to be trying to locate your weapons facilities. Maybe he was working with Kat'Rin… you needed to get a hold of Scar Rick and find out. You make a decision that you knew you were going to be yelled at about.

As you created the portal, you take a deep breath and step through slowly. No one was in Scar Rick's room when you walk through carefully. You take a glance around and see a chaotic mess. Tables were overturned, items lay in pieces and papers were burnt. At first you feared that this was a recent incident but you heard the shower going in the back room. Carefully you step around the mess and slide along the bedroom wall. The sheets were balled up at the end of the bed and clothes were thrown around. You look at each article of clothing, making sure none were female. Last thing you needed was to run into _her_ right now. The shower stopped and you froze. You still didn't know if this was Scar Rick or not. An open closet was the best place to hide in until you were sure. You back in carefully and wait. Minutes roll by and no one stepped out of the bathroom area. No sound was heard from within as well. You peak around the opening and still see the light is on and the mist from the hot shower was still billowing out. There was a lot of mist…

A hand grabbed your arm and pulled you out of the closet as you countered the move, broke free and kicked at the tall form in front of you. You jumped on top of the body as it twists underneath you, rolling to the side. A hand wraps around your throat from behind as another yanks one arm up along your back. Fingers and thumb bite into your neck as stars appear. You bring up the other hand and grab crotch level, rewarded with a naked dick to grab and pull. The guy behind you releases you and pushes you away. You jump up and turn around, ready to strike. You see Scar Rick come into view.

"Fuck! Fuck! I was going to kill you! NEVER PULL THAT SHIT AGAIN TESS!" You froze as you looked at him in the light. Scars covered his entire body. Several you recognized; burns, knife wounds, plasma scorches.

"What the hell?" You walk up against him and run fingers along the scars. There was a quick inhale as your skin touched his. A heat grabbed a hold of your hand as his eyes got dark. You avoided his stare as you focused on the scars. You turn him around to see them continue on all sides. As he faces you again, he grabs your hand and pulls it against his crotch, still staring at you.

"There's more down there lover… Why not go down and see?" his voice held a quiet heat to it. You freeze, not sure if he was testing you or if he was serious. Again you decide to play things out honestly; no teasing with him.

"What did she… why? For what reason would you do this?" you let the pain be heard in your voice. His eyes turned softer after that.

"Punishment, pain for me is pleasure for her. She also uses it to mark me as hers. Says no other lover will ever have me now. That only she will fuck me looking like this." his voice was very silent. He was still watching you; he reminded you of a snake about to strike.

"She's fucked up… seriously. And wrong. If someone loves you, this won't matter…" Before you know it, he throws you against the bed and jumps on top of you, pinning you down. His eyes hold anger. His lips snarl as he yells at you.

"What the fuck does that matter? Love? Love? You think someone will WANT to love me after all this? You have no fucking idea bitch. I'm afraid I'll end up fucking a girl and find out _she_ calls it rape. My tastes are fucked. Your fear, right now, lover… arousal to me. Knowing that I can dominate you, make you fear me, cause you pain… Shit, you can jack me off right now." You hear the words but there was something else… pain. He wanted you to hate him.

"I will never hate you. Try your hardest to make yourself _see_ her, but I'm NOT her. You know me too well now to take it all out on me. And as for being fucked up that no other lover will take you… Maybe you should talk to Rick…" You pause, hoping this will pay off. It did. Scar Rick started to laugh and lowers his head.

"Rickcest right?" he laughs again and then grows silent. "Not like I haven't experienced that as well…" He looks in your eyes waiting for a reaction. You keep yourself calm. "Does that bug you? It doesn't bug her. She loves having more than one. Loves it more when we… do things as she watches."

"Only herself and Ricks? No one else?" you were seriously hoping that he was not going to mention the addition of Beths or Summers. And hopefully never Mortys.

"Only. She hates other women even looking at her Ricks. Goes into a frenzy. One time, we were negotiating a deal on supplies. We were talking to a female operator. Kat'Rin walks in. Asks to talk to the woman in person to negotiate better terms. Once she got on board, Kat'Rin tares into her. Blood spattered the walls. No Rick interfered. No Rick looked. To look would bring her attention on you. I have specific scars because _I_ would." He was talking slowly. Your blood turned cold. Now you realize why he was so angry when you came to him.

"Gods Rick… I'm so sorry. I won't come here again without your knowledge. Maybe I should change your nick name…" You meant it as an honest comment. He started to laugh. He looks at you with an honest smile.

"No lover… keep it. When you say it, I feel heat from you."

"You feel heat from _me_?"

"Fuck yeah… a lot. More than I think you realize. A lot more. Like now. Like when you saw me in the light. Like when I slightly touch you. Or when I kiss you. And especially now that I'm saying all this…" Your heart races. He could feel your arousal for sure. Even the slight ones… and he knew what it was. That was dangerous.

"Um… I… it's because…" you stutter out.

"Oh lover… don't lie to me. I can tell when you do now…" he leans in to kiss you fully, tongue slowly exploring your mouth. As he pulls away, your head raises slightly to follow. "Fuck… you… you… that heat swirls, pulls me downward, begs for more… _you_ want more…" he starts laughing and gets off of you, sitting beside you on the bed. You sit up and notice his erect form. He is rubbing his neck and breathing slowly.

"It's not that bad, you know." Scar Rick looks up at you, confused.

"What?"

"The scars along your… you know…" You point to his crotch and he barks out a laugh.

"Oh baby… you know how to talk dirty to me." he laughs again and falls back on the bed.

"Shut up fucker! I never… talked dirty before alright? Rick is trying to get me to say more… In the moment is one thing, but just out of the blue, like now…" Scar Rick laughs louder.

"You are too cute when you're flustered. Makes me want you more…" his eyes reach you again and your heart flutters. "Wow… the way you rise to my bait makes me wonder what kind of a lover he is…"

"Damn you. I take back what I said before. I hate you." you cross your arms and give him the best pissed off face you can muster.

"Don't think you do, lover." Scar Rick pulls you down to him and lays you to his side, your head against his chest. "I know this shouldn't happen, but please just lie here with me. Why DID you come?"

"Fuck!" you sit up and start telling him everything you learned from your contact. He listened to every word and went silent.

"I do not think there should be any Ricks in your original dimension. I'll check in on this. I forgive you for coming now. This is information I needed. I wonder who is looking for your weapons… for what purpose?" Scar Rick pulls you back down beside him. "It's been a long couple of hours, lover. Mind if you just stay for a while?" The question felt vulnerable, as if he was expecting you to say no.

"No problem. You need to stop calling me lover though…"

"You need to stop getting aroused when I do…" That shut you up.


	37. Chapter 37

Chapter 37

The Win

You ended up falling asleep on Scar Rick but woke up in your bed. You stretch out on the bed as you listen to the music playing in the background. Then you wonder why there was music playing in the background. As you sit up, you recognize the song as one from Bird World; a song that meant danger. You run over to the old communication system you had set up. If they were ever in serious trouble, they would activate the song and you would come. Mind racing, you grab various clothing to change into; lots of pockets and camouflage. You check the time and calculate that the signal was sent only moments ago. If this was the old you, it would have taken at least one week for you to travel from your current location. Thankfully, this was a new you, with a new portal gun. Running to the main computer, you find the coordinates for Bird World and punch them in, opening a portal. You double check for weapons, knives, incendiary devices, and small plasma grenades; all in place, you walk through.

The scene that awaited you was pure chaos. Tree homes were on fire as small Federation aircraft flew through the air. Several Bird fighters were already in mid-flight, chasing after the much faster ships, but armed with the plasma cannons you designed, they were able to take each out. You call out in their language and were met with the song of re-joining which echoed through the woods. Everyone in this village now knew that you had arrived. A grey winged fighter swoops down to pick you up, soaring through the sky towards the main camp. You look down at the fight below. Families were zipping through the sky, seeking shelter in the side of the mountain retreat. You and Rick had told the people of this world that if they were to survive another attack, they needed shelter within a solid structure. The mountain cliff was the best bet and you were amazed at how well they listened.

Once through the narrow entrance, your jaw drops at the sight before you. They had listened alright; they had dug within the mountain and carved out a city. Various people of Bird World were within the mountain, rushing supplies to other families and forging weapons. The children were safe within larger homes that were protected by additional guards. The local medical facilities were flooded with incoming injured and you can tell from all the blood that they were outmatched. No matter how many times you argued with the counsel about their choice of protection and armor for their fighters, they would never listen; insisting that tradition and honoring their gods was far more important.

The fighter sets you down on the highest balcony overlooking the city. You wave thanks as he flies off to the next task. You walk into the room to see several females arguing over a large map in the center of the room. One female looks towards you and smiles, greeting you with the honorary gesture of an arm across the chest and the head lowered. Each female gives you the greeting in return as the room goes silent. You were told long ago that you were not to address the greeting but accept it as a thanks for saving their world. Eyes closed, you take a deep breath to remember this and walk towards the map.

"Alright, explain." You listen as each general tells you of their particular situation. There was a report dealing with the invasion, one on the amount of injured, one for the refugees still on their way, one for the status on the forging of weapons and one on the soldiers. A lot of information was thrown at you and you silently wished you had not ran off to deal with this on your own. After reading the map again and taking a moment to contemplate outcomes, you prioritize each issue and delegate what teams were responsible for what outcome. Your area of expertise was in the battlefield.

Three teams were currently engaging the enemy on the western border. Their numbers were dwindling but the forgers had just finished crafting the ship destroyer. This massive weapon was one of your favorites; created in a drunken stupor, you awoke to this magnificent weapon of pure chaotic destruction. A smile plays on your lips at the mention of your baby. You let the generals know that you were going to personally deliver the weapon and lead the troops. All agreed to the plan as you set off to meet with the forgers.

The people crafting the massive weapon were excited to meet you. Each had heard tales from their families of the battles you fought, and the victories won. They also greeted you with the honorary gesture and once again you had to fight yourself from yelling at them. You just did what anyone else would have done. All this was forgotten as they bring in the weapon. Running hands along the casing, you are amazed and proud at how well your blueprints were executed. You gave each worker their praise and punched coordinates into your portal gun, firing it at the nearby wall to walk through with the weapon.

Several soldiers were holding weapons to your head as you stepped out. Then three laughed their asses off having recognized you. Pleasantries were exchanged as well as the gestures you hated. You were briefed on what happened so far. The federation soldiers had come to this planet about three days ago. Their ship was badly damaged, and they only asked for food and fuel. The people of this planet, being so trusting, helped the ship and were thanked by a full attack. A larger armada was close by, and when they heard of the fuel source readily provided, attacked. The federation was once again after the precious materials naturally created by Bird World. You roll your eyes at their naivety; even though it was the very reason you fought so hard for them.

The situation did not seem as bad as they led you to believe though. There was only one battle ship, camped out in the upper atmosphere. Your weapon could easily reach that distance. Then boom! You smile, knowing that you soon get to see your baby in action.

"I need you to gather the troops. When I set this thing off, the soldiers nearby are going to scramble and search for the point of launch. I will need backup to ensure that I damaged the ship enough to send it into the atmosphere to burn upon entry. Thankfully this will draw out all their troops and we won't have to worry about those chasing the fleeing civilians." You look around as several men and women took to the skies and sent out a cry for assembly. Information was relayed as plans were set into motion. This was what you always appreciated about this planet; orders were followed because everyone understood that decisions were made for the good of the flock.

"Ma'am. The area has been cleared and troops are standing by for support. Only the necessary soldiers will remain behind to cover you until we see the all clear." With the gesture, he took off and signaled back to the others.

Setting up the weapon, you take a deep breath and focus up to the sky. All your calculations were imputed into the navigational computer as you smile darkly. Nothing better than blowing up Federation goons… One button and the laser fired, creating a red smear across the sky that dissipated the overhead clouds instantly. Once the weapon was fired, you took a quick look up into the trees to see every eye on the sky. You started to pack up the weapon, taking the energy source. You trusted your calculations; it was just a matter of time before the debris started to show in streaks across the sky. Plasma guns started to fire as the Federation troops closed in. Another smile formed as you grabbed your two pistols and ran into the firefight.

Two small battalions later, the sky started to turn dark with the dropping of burnt up Federation space trash. All around, you hear the whoops and cheers of the soldiers. A tall man with black wings picks you up off the ground to fly you around the troops as each thank you with their gesture. This time you smiled and sighed deeply. A win. Point Tess.

You land back near your weapon and portal yourself with the gun to the mountain retreat. As you approach the center, you are greeted with a swirl of winged people celebrating with the song of triumph. This is a song you have heard before and always welcomed it. Another person swoops you up into their arms and delivers you back outside, dropping you off on the steps of the town hall tree. You look up at the massive tree and hear the celebration, even from below. As you turn around, you see Rick slowly walking up to you, angry. You run up to him with a smile; explaining how this was a win for your beloved world and that you were sorry for not letting him know about this. Rick keeps walking towards you, shaking his head. As he approaches, you feel something is off…

An evil smile slowly curves his lips as you take off running the other way. You dive towards a nearby tree… and land in a dark room. The bastard created a portal directly in front of you.


	38. Chapter 38

Chapter 38

Kat'Rin

You land hard on the dark floor and it takes a moment for your eyes to adjust. You pop your ears in time to hear the laughter of a somewhat familiar voice; your own. Slowly you look upward and are greeted with a sight you never expected to see. You were in a thrown room of sorts. There was a massive, high backed chair with thick arms and deep, red velvet upholstery. Along the edges of the legs were small, silver rings that contained leather ropes. As your eyes followed one rope, you find a scantily clad Rick attached to the other end. This one wore a spiked collar and stared at you with hungry eyes. A thin strap tied to his hips supported a pocket for his, ahem, member. Your eyes go a bit wide and you fought back a smirk. _Gods… what have I walked into?_ As you look around the rest of the chair, you see several other Ricks in other S&M type outfits. To the right stood Scar Rick, wearing no shirt and tight black leather pants. You scan over him quickly, not wanting to reveal that you know him. Along the back wall were photos of each Rick in thick black frames. The walls were a deep red and draped with black velvet curtains along the corners. You felt like you were in a bad dominatrix porno.

On the massive thrown, sat Kat'Rin. You cock your head to one side while looking her over. Her hair was slicked back with streaks of red winding through to form a tight bun at the top. Her makeup was heavily applied in dark hues reminding you of the gothic look a lot of bands adopted back when you sang. Lips were a crimson red and her boobs… those were definitely _not_ yours. Her breasts were barely contained within the corset-like top. A fine red lace flowed down her legs to hang at her stiletto heels. You raise an eyebrow at the scene before you. Tears start to form as you are trying your hardest not to bust up laughing. She wanted to be feared, but you almost lost it. You see Scar Rick shoot you an evil look and slowly shake his head. You take a deep swallow, breathe and regain your composure.

"Well, well, well. Look what we have here? A plain Kat'Rin. How pathetic." Her voice cooed outward in a fake accent. Your eyes open wider as you notice Scar Rick slowly close his eyes. The fact that he was expecting you to blow this, set your resolve harder. You look into her eyes and notice the colored contacts in a bright yellow stare back at you. That is when you noticed the frost of her power brush up against you. Then you remembered the stories Scar Rick told you. This may be a scene you could laugh at in the future, but right now you were in serious danger. You refuse to answer her, hoping she would think it was out of fear alone.

"It seems you have a gift, my queen…" Scar Rick announced. Kat'Rin stands up and walks towards you slowly. Her corset was matched by black lace underwear, but nothing else separated that fine red lace skirt with the rest of her body. She slowly walked around you, picking at your clothing and lifting up your hair like you were a poorly dressed child. She chided you in silence. As she walked back towards her thrown, you see something else that was not yours; her ass. _Oh… my… gods… that's an interesting view…_ you swallowed down with a suppressed giggle. Kat'Rin whips around to stare at you suddenly.

"What happened to your Rick darling?" She cooed while still regarding your clothing.

"My Rick?" you asked, confused.

"Yes darling… _your dimensional_ Rick."

"Oh, he's dead. A couple of months ago. Lost him in a fight." You speak slowly and honestly; you fear that there would be consequences if you did not choose your words wisely. A quick look at Scar Rick confirmed this; his eyes were panicked.

"Oh dear no!" fake concern. "What happened to him? How long did you know him?" You feel trapped. There was a feeling of dread at the truth you felt compelled to speak. You contemplate lying and then it happens. Scar Rick's voice cut through your thoughts.

"Answer my queen truthfully wretch."

"He died to save me…" you whisper out. At the end of your sentence, Kat'Rin is on you, clearing the four foot distance between you with lightening speed. She grabs your shoulders and digs her two inch long metal fingernails into your flesh. You suppress a yell as the nails effortlessly slice straight in.

"What's so special about you?" Her words were full of venom. "Why were YOU so special? How did you know him, plain Kat'Rin?" She pulls out her claws and wipes the blood off on your shirt. As you glance around, the Ricks gathered in the room show different emotions. A lot were aroused, stroking themselves or each other. Others refused to look at the scene, some purely afraid. You look back to her and take a deep breath. This was not going to work out well. She was becoming impatient. "Well?"

"Answer her question!" Scar Rick yelled at you from behind.

"We… were… married…" You whisper out watching as her eyes widen with anger.

"How long?" She asked slowly. Again you fought to keep this information under control, fearing her reaction.

"She asked you a question, slut. HOW… LONG…? ANSWER!" Scar Rick roared.

"A while. I met him when I was nineteen. I believe he was eighteen."

"Oh?" she lets out a laugh then. "Poor baby, _he_ didn't know any better then. Hadn't even met _me_ yet… no wonder he _settled_ on you…" she laughs again as other Ricks around you join in. You feel anger rise within you. How dare she?

"Well forty-five years proves that he _did_ know better…"

The room went silent as you held your breath. You close your eyes waiting for the attack. When none came, you opened your eyes to see Kat'Rin staring at you. The look is one of pure insanity. She was shaking at your words. Her hands formed into fists at her sides, nails biting into the flesh and her chest rose and fell heavily with her breathing. You pushed her over the edge. _Fuck…_

"Forty-five years… with one Rick? I bet you have a lot of precious memories? A lot of romantic nights and sweet words whispered into your ear?" You remained silent and kept your eyes on her. "Well, I can help out with that. Let's see… Which of you want to fuck her? No! No, no, no. Not fuck, rape. Who would want to rape her? Again and again until her precious memories are replaced with only pain. Pain caused by her beloved Rick. I want someone who will fucking ERASE HIM FROM HER MEMORY!" She screams out as a handful of Ricks flinch. Everyone was silent. No one wanted to answer her. No one dared.

You watch her as she circles the room again, this time to stare at each Rick. Her heels are the only sound in the room as you take a moment to glance at Scar Rick. You can feel the pain behind his eyes. Your heart starts to race, and the panic threatens. She was going to find a Rick to rape you. It was your turn to breath heavily.

"Let's see… 10? No, you're too kind for a lover… 5? No again; not ruthless enough. Hmmmm…" She stops in front of Scar Rick. "Oh… 2… yes, yes. My precious 2. You will do nicely. You did an amazing job raping the other two… let's add a third huh? Your tastes are exactly what I need here. You can have her. Rape her. Torture her… but don't you DARE cum. If you do… the pain will be endless. You will hold NO pleasure with her. Got it?"

"Of course my queen. I will hold that pleasure for you alone." He stared straight at you, holding your gaze. He eyes were full of anger, directed at you.

"I chose the right Rick I see… Your mind is already racing huh? Degrade her, make her hate Ricks, rape her until she orgasms and then make her feel ashamed to enjoy it. I want ALL memories of her 'marriage' erased." The way she said, marriage, truly scared you. It was as if that word were poison to her. As her eyes rested back upon you, the only thing you saw was pure hatred. "When you're done, throw her in the cell." Scar Rick nods his head. "Now get her out of my sight."

Scar Rick grabbed the shoulder she pierced, digging fingers into the wounds as he walked you towards the elevator. Once inside, he throws you against the wall and closes the door. After a few moments, he slams the button to stop the machine. You slowly slide along the wall and fall down; shaking and crying. Scar Rick hits the wall several times screaming out curses. You raise your eyes at the silence and see him on the floor in front of you. His eyes held worry.

"Come here lover…" he says sweetly, and you fall against his body, sobbing. "Fuck… what have you done?"

"I'm so sorry… oh my gods, I'm so sorry…" you keep repeating this again and again, truly ashamed for your actions that led you here. 


	39. Chapter 39

Chapter 39

Repercussions

"We need to talk about outcomes. This is not going to be a good talk lover. You kinda forced this one… I was hoping one day… I could take you gently, fucking you until you decided I was the only Rick for you…" he winks and smiles at you. You give a weak smile back.

"Yeah… I know. Not what I was hoping either…" you cover your mouth and look away.

"Ha! I knew it. You want me. Was planning on fucking me at one point huh? Now we have no choice… and this will not be… did you ever think about the repercussions? Even once?" Scar Rick asked silently.

"No. Bird World was in trouble. That was my home for so long. I love that planet. I would do anything to keep them safe. When I woke up I heard their song for trouble. I just gathered my things and ran. I should have… should have…" you feel the tears start again.

"Lover… it's alright. This is going to be… tricky. You need to let me have control. I mean, I would really love to dominate you, but for this I kinda need to be in control. This is where I do my… thing. There are no cameras in here. I tell her its because there is no escape. Kat'Rin will be waiting on the other side when we arrive at the cells. She will expect you to look a certain way, act a certain way. We need to fulfill that expectation."

"Did you really rape the other two?" You ask silently.

"I tried not to have that outcome. I really did. But as I told you, they pushed me. They have the same entitled attitude that she has… so yes. I did. Think differently about me now? That I did and enjoyed it? Raped them like I would her… How does that make you feel?" He grew silent again; watching you.

"Not overly thrilled… how long ago?"

"Years ago… I haven't been allowed to… for a year because I refused to rape someone else. I'm surprised she chose me. I guess yelling at you helped."

"Yay… a year huh? Well, I know what she said, but that's not going to happen. If you have to fuck me then it will be with a release. Guess I'm old fashioned like that." You stand up and walk towards him. He is looking at you slyly.

"How are you going to get around what she asked? She will compel me to answer her about ejaculating or not."

"Yeah… I got a way around that. She wants you to humiliate me. To degrade me. Well, I've always felt that when a guy ejaculates on your face… that's fucking degrading. She will know when she sees my, reaction. But don't do that until the end asshole. Or I'll punish you… somehow…" you wink to try and play off the conversation. He got the point.

"Alright… end game planned. Now what about the foreplay?" He walks over to you, backing you up against the wall.

"What do you mean?"

"Do you trust me?" It was barely a whisper.

"Of course, why?" You didn't even hesitate. As you looked into his eyes, you saw surprise. "You confuse the shit out of me, you know?"

"Why is that lover?"

"It's like things that are so matter of fact for me are not for you. Like you question everything I would take for granted."

"So, you trust me then… let me control you. Let me utilize the bond. Let me mark you. If I fuck you this way, you'll hold marks and bruises and at least look like you've been raped."

"Whoa… hold on there cowboy… What do you mean by control?"

"I love this… you've never had someone take the power from you before? Tied down, being punished for not following orders?"

"The closest would probably be when my ex would tell me to leave my hands above my head and not move them… or he would leave…" you look downward. Scar Rick chuckles.

"Oh dear… close but not. That, lover, is the tip of the ice burg. I will try not to scare you too much then. But I will utilize the bond. I will make demands. I promise you will love them all. So, I have your trust and permission?" He hesitated in touching you. His hands were on either side of the wall next to you. There was a tension building. A line being drawn. This was your point of no return.

"I have some questions first. One, why did she call you Ricks by numbers and two, how long should we be in here?"

"She calls us by the numbers she discovered us, and as long as we fucking want. Are you finished? Then answer me…" the last was a command. The heat flared with those words.

"Yes." You felt the heat building and being answered by a darker heat, like a torch that was dwindling down to embers. A smoky heat that once stoked, would engulf you. For a second you were afraid of what was going to happen. You didn't know this Rick as well as yours. He still scared the crap out of you, but that also seemed to arouse you. And he knew it…

"Lover…" Scar Rick backs up and pulls at his leather pants. You could see his bulge being contained within. The pants were very tight and were kept together with straps. He started to undo the ones at the sides first, his gaze never leaving your face. His intensity made you blush. You had never felt like this before. He desired you and never made it a secret. It was a different desire. You just hoped you could live up to his expectations. "Come here lover…" he cooed. You walked over to him and smiled as he brushed your face with one finger. "I love you."

"I love you too." You looked into his eyes and once again saw the shock. "Oh, come on. Even Rick stated that to me. I'm not afraid to admit it now. You grew on me alright? You're darker… that's true but I can tell you've changed and I like what you're changing into… and…" you were stammering. Scar Rick chuckles and grabs your face to kiss you. Tongue explores with a swiftness of a well-trained lover. He has kissed you a handful of times now, but he learned quick what you liked. He could always feel your arousal and passion. Now he was showing you what he learned. As the kiss pulled away, he draws your bottom lip in to suck on it. You groan out, amazed that just this was driving you nuts. Your bodies had not even touched.

"Take off those clothes lover…" a slight command. You cock your head and back up, slowly taking off each layer as a tease. Scar Rick didn't rush you; he leaned against the wall and watched your hands move along skin. The heat built each time your fingers brushed along your own naked flesh. He was using the bond to manipulate you into touching yourself more. That aroused you and he chuckled again. "Getting better at this… don't really have to tell you anymore. I can imagine it and you seem to follow. Gets easier when you want it too. Hurry lover, I'm… I'm gonna need some help over here." You finish up while laughing and walk over to him.

"Man, you run hot and cold babe. One second you want me to strip tease and the next you crack a joke and we're back to normal." You crouch down to get a closer look at the straps to get him out of the skin-tight pants. "These are ridiculous." You pull at the straps on the side as you look up. Scar Rick has his hands above his shoulders, supporting his head to lay against the wall. His eyes were closed, and a huge smile played along his lips. "Fucker… You wanna play?"

You focus back down on the pants and reach over to pull a knife from a secret pocket of your pants. Scar Rick chuckles as you use it to tear into the leather, freeing him from the constraints. You sit back with a smile, tossing the knife away. When you look back, a darker tone hit Scar Rick as he told you to suck his cock. You gave him an evil look and told him to fuck off. He walks up to you, grabbing the back of your head, twisting his hand within your hair and holds you right against his pulsing member. Anger seethes within as you grab a hold of his ball sack and squeeze hard. A groan escapes his mouth as his head goes back. An evil laugh bellows in the elevator as he lowers to look at you. His hand pulls your hair back, so your head is facing up. You glare at him and he winks, smiling softly. Again, you are confused and let it show in your face.

"Sorry lover… I've been here too many times and had things change… I needed to see if you were still… you." At this, you grab his hand from behind, yank his arm downward and pull him flat on the floor. You switch your position and straddle him, forcing his arms above his head. It was too easy, he let you.

"Don't you ever do that again. I am not her, will never be her… Now are you going to take me like a man or like a coward?" You hear him growl as he throws you to the side. You can see his sleek muscles play along his form, tight like a coiled snake. Neither Rick from your life was this strong or this fast. Scar Rick always seemed to be five steps ahead of you; you never felt in control. But then again, this aroused you. With him now on top, you grab his shoulders and yank him downward for another kiss. He groans against your mouth as his hands slowly play along your skin. For a man who has been denied for so long, he was spending a lot of time taking things slow and savoring every touch. Unfortunately for you, each time he slowed down, the heat threatened to overtake you.

Fingers dug into skin as he licked and sucked various areas around your chest. The fire was boiling as you begged him to go lower. With a dark voice, he ordered you to remain still and that you were not allowed to give him orders. That domineering attitude struck against you as you let out a soft moan. He could feel your arousal at such words. He manipulated what you wanted. You wanted him to go fast, to crash into you like a man starving for food. But he was taking his time, moving slowly and deliberately. He was controlling your pleasure; and you loved it. A guilt started to arise within about what you were doing and then it was gone. Scar Rick cooed into your ear that there was nothing else for you to focus on but him and yourself. You needed to worry about how to please him if you wanted a release. You lean back and relax. You let the flames consume you. You burned with the ash and followed his lead. At the moment you gave up control, Scar Rick's personality showed in true force. He gave up on his power play and spent a few moments telling you what this meant to him and what you were to him. Then he switched gears.

You were expecting the power play to continue. You assumed that he was going to dominate you and 'force' you into doing his will. You were waiting for him to manipulate the bond in a way that would enhance the experience and keep you from shying down to the things he only whispered of to make you blush. What happened was different. At the moment you gave all control to Scar Rick, he pleasantly surprised you. A door opened up and he walked through as if he had always been there. The sex was different. He met your arousal and inner passions each time one arose. As the time progressed, you found that his desires mixed with yours and the biting, the scratches, the screams were echoed back and forth. You burned with the remnants of his life. What was reborn contained a blaze unlike anything you had experienced. At once you understood that your husband had represented stability, Rick was family and love, and Scar Rick was desire at it's primal base. He controlled you without controlling you. He understood what was going on in your head and what your body needed. Scar Rick fed all your desires as you filled his. He came as you came, your bodies wrapped around each other and breathing in time.

The second time around was different. He explained that he had to get that out of his system but now the games needed to begin. He introduced you to the intricacies of pain when it was mixed with his expertise. The bruises healed fast, but the knife was an interesting addition. This left scars along your arms and chest that were more for show… needed to get Kat'Rin's attention. He also bit your lip during an orgasm with enough force to cause blood to drip down. At the sight of your blood along your lips, Scar Rick kissed you, his tongue licking along the blood and moaning as he grew harder. This was the end of your games… He ordered you on your knees in front of him. You took his length in your mouth and increased the pressure of your teeth as he pulled your head against him. He screamed out in ecstasy and begged for more. You enjoyed giving him the pain he desired. At one point, he yanked himself out of your mouth and started to stroke himself in front of you. You had discussed this before, but you still did not approve. Slyly you beg him to finish in your mouth as he chides you for your disobedience. Then you decide that you would at least help out… You help him stroke along his length as his hand grips on top of yours. A sigh escapes his mouth as he tells you how amazing it feels.

The elevator starts to move again, and Scar Rick tosses your hand away, jacking himself off to release across your face as the doors open. Kat'Rin is on the other side, laughing as he finishes against your face.

"Now, now, now… I thought I told you not to cum. But this…" she lets out a fake laugh that echoes down the hall. "True beauty. She _is_ disgraced. What's wrong plain Kat'Rin? Your husband never used you as a cum bucket? How did the rape go? Ever experience anything like that?"

"No…" you lower your head and speak the truth. No one had ever fucked you like that before. You let your body shake as you exhale. To her, it probably looked like fear or pain. To you and Scar Rick, it was the end of another release. You had to let the fire run along your body to silently wash away. You were able to feel her cold, and you would not make another mistake by allowing her to notice your heat. Not all the fire left though. There was a thin line leading to Scar Rick. You feel him pluck along that line, testing it. A pleasure arose in you suddenly. Scar Rick turns Kat'Rin around to beg her forgiveness while you work on steadying yourself.

"I beg your forgiveness my queen. I disobeyed an order." He replied with his head low, but his fists clenched.

"Oh, my dear 2. Of course, I forgive this… to see her so lowered. I believe you ruined her. She will never be the same. Good job baby. Mama will reward you." She trails a hand along his tense stomach, running her nails along his muscles. An anger rises within you. A possession that Scar Rick responds to. His member starts to harden as he stares at you. Kat'Rin, however, thought it was due to her touch. "Oh… look at this… You finished on her and yet still arise to my touch. Maybe I left you alone for too long…" She walks down the hall and calls back, "18, help 2 get her cleaned up and dumped into the cell with my pet. Poor little man is hungry…"

 _Fuck…_


	40. Chapter 40

Chapter 40

Escape

"Lucky asshole. What's it like? Raping a girl who looks like her? Sweet? Mind if I have a go?" 18 laughed as he bent over to grab your hair.

"Tess, knife please." Scar Rick asks from behind Rick 18. He turns around to face Scar Rick as you sink your knife into him from behind. You twist it upward and watch him fall to the floor. As the blood starts to spill, you back away, staring at the pool. Your breath quickens as the memories start to invade. Scar Rick gently says your name and the panic subsides. He lifts up a hand as you walk slowly around the blood to grab a hold. He pulls you into his arms and whispers that everything will be alright.

The two of you move past the dead Rick and swiftly make your way down the hall and into a side room. Scar Rick loots the lockers for clothing and excuses himself to use a nearby terminal. Upon returning, he holds you against his chest.

"Someone is going to meet us here with your portal gun. I will get you out of here. He will knock me around to make it seem that I was fighting with 18. We will make it look like he betrayed her, and I was able to stab him in the back. She will know you have escaped. She will know one of her own helped you. She will believe he acted alone, or maybe she won't. I can distract her for a while." The mention of this flares the fire within you. "Lover, as much as I absolutely love this… you need to get it under control. It will be easier once you return to Rick." You back away suddenly.

"Fuck. Rick. He's going to kill me." You hold on to yourself.

"Yup. For more then just fucking me too. I let him know, by the way. Was in contact with him too. He agrees that it had to be done. He is pissed. Sorry lover, but I agree. You're in for one hell of a shitstorm." He looks at you and shakes his head. You look downward. "Don't want to make you really feel like shit, but you need to understand that your actions have consequences. You are no longer free to do as you please. We are no longer dealing with just the Federation. You are no longer the toughest fish in the sea. You swim with sharks now, lover. And by sharks, I mean Rick and myself. From now on you relinquish control. You LET US HANDLE IT." He yells out the last as he walks away from you and punches the wall.

"I'm sorry. I understand. Really. I already caused one innocent life to be spent…" you walk over to Scar Rick and hold him from behind.

"He wasn't innocent lover. He's been on my list of Kat'Rin sympathizers. Glad you learned your lesson. I hope."

"I have…" you lay your head along his back. You hear him whisper something.

"I can't lose you. Not after… please. I need you alive."

"I'll behave. I love you."

"You are my love. And I will remind you of that always. I'll even flaunt it around Rick. Can't wait for that. He's so going to hate me…" he chuckles darkly. "You also know that this means I can't just drop by for a while. I will be in contact with Rick but not with you. When I can I will return. Don't come to me. Don't look for me. Don't come to my room, please. As much as I would desire that; encourage that, please not now. I'll send you a special notice when I want to fuck you again." He turns around and holds your face, kissing you while stoking the fire within. As his tongue enters your mouth, the heat lowers as you feel an orgasm approaching. Scar Rick pulls back to whisper in your ear, "now…."

"Fuck!" You scream out as he manipulates the bond purely by his own will to make you orgasm against him. He laughs deeply and pulls you in for a longer kiss.

"You belong to me. I allow you to fuck Rick. But you know the truth. He will never reach this level with you. He will never understand. But I do. I know what you truly desire…" You lean in closer to him, expecting a kiss. A quiet knock at the door pulls both heads towards the door. Scar Rick opens the door as another Rick walks in. This one has blond hair, a cowboy hat and… assless chaps. You start to giggle.

"Really? Assless chaps? Assless chaps? I can't… Rick, this is too much…" you start laughing as the two men roll their eyes.

"You have to excuse her. She is becoming delirious. Thank you for all your help in this. I will make sure things get better, I swear." Scar Rick address him with respect and you straighten up.

"Sorry man… I didn't mean to laugh… It's just ridiculous." You apologize as you rub the back of your neck.

"Don't you mean…" Cowboy Rick replies, "that this is Rickdiculous?" Scar Rick rolls his eyes as you stare at the other. Then you both start laughing. "I know right? Seriously? Just because I dyed my hair a while back, she goes and makes me a cowboy. And these chaps? Total agreement here." You both laugh again and start making jokes about the others you saw in the room. Scar Rick stands between you two and barks out how inappropriate you two are being. He rolls his eyes again and shoves your portal gun at you.

"Hey, we were bonding…" Cowboy Rick replies.

"Yeah, and now you're done. Just what I need. The two of you together. You guys would never stop…" Scar Rick punches in the coordinates to Rick's dimension and opens up a portal. "Please, take it easy. Remember what happened when you tried to do things on your own. Remember me…" he pulls you into a kiss and then pushes you once again through the portal.

You stumble through the portal and land in Rick's arms. As you shake your head to clear out the post portal cobwebs, you look up and see the family gathered around you. Guilt crushes you as each pair of eyes stares at you, tears forming in each. The only set not looking at you were Morty's. That hurt the most. He was staring at the ground, holding on to his arm. Beth was first, yelling at you and chiding you for trying to do things on your own again, now that you have a family to rely on. She warns you that next time they might not be there to support you if you were not willing to let them into your life as well. Summer agrees with her, telling you that it was not fair for you to keep them up at all hours of the night worrying about whether or not you would come home dead. Both took turns yelling at you out of love and worry. You understood this. You had never had to deal with family like this before. No one had ever cared except Rick, and sometimes you wondered…

Rick was next in line. After the girls were finished and started to yell and cry at the same time, Rick pushes you against them as they hold on to you. He watches as you start crying as well, apologizing and swearing that you would never do anything like this again. The girls back away and leave you with Rick and Morty. Rick holds on to your chin and looks into your eyes. You could see the tears start to form.

"Find me when you're done with him." Rick turns and leaves as you look to Morty.

"Morty?" Your voice was small. You walk over to him and he backs away. Your heart sinks. You fall to your knees in front of him. "Please… I'm sorry. I need you Morty. I made a mistake…"

"You made a mistake?!" Morty yelled at you suddenly, the anger in his voice shocking you. "Yes! You walked into something ALONE! You are no longer alone Tess! How dare you walk away from me like that! You didn't even think of asking for help did you? You were going to just take things into your own hands, right? Well, I… I…" his voice grew small and quiet. "Why should I let you back in? Why should I believe you? I know you were taken before… but even then, you needed help to escape. You can't do this on your own. But maybe you should do this without me…" Morty turns his back to you.

"I hurt you. I know that now. You're right. I acted alone. I've never had more then one person worry about me and most of that time, he was busy with other things. I could be careless by myself. No one would ever worry about me. That used to hurt me. I would drink to forget that. But you know what? I haven't drunk that much the last month. Being around you has helped a lot. You give me hope. You help… and if you want to walk away, I won't blame you. But know that so far, you have changed me for the better, more then any Rick. To me, you are more important… in my life… to make me feel… happy and… loved. Just know that." You start to cry, sitting back on your heels. The idea that you could have lost Morty in all of this never crossed your mind.

"Tess… never… NEVER… leave me again." Morty runs into your arms as you both sit on the floor, crying. You hold on to Morty so tight, finally realizing just how much this kid got to you. "You're family. I love you."

"I love you too Morty. I love you too."


	41. Chapter 41

Chapter 41

Guilt

You spent a couple of hours with Morty, just talking about what happened and what you saw. Just discussing everything with him made everything feel better. You could see him start to liven up and you even got him laughing with the assless chaps detail. After a while, Morty excuses himself and tells you that you really need to see Rick. You hesitate after Morty closes the door. You really didn't want to have this conversation. Although you didn't lose Morty, Beth or Summer, that didn't mean that you hadn't lost Rick. A bone crushing despair fills you. You look back at the door, wondering if you needed some alcohol first.

Once below, you see Rick working at his small computer table. The lights were off except the monitor. His hands were on the table and his head was lowered. Softly you say his name.

"Rick?"

"Yeah? Settle things with Morty?" His reply was cold.

"Yes." You stand there for a while not knowing what to say. Rick remained with his back to you. "I'm sorry. I fucked up. I relinquish control."

"Yep. You have to now. Did you even think that we had a plan in place? Did you ever think that we had it all under control? Or is it that you don't trust us…" His back was still turned. You couldn't tell what he was feeling by his voice alone.

"I trust you. I didn't think. I heard the distress and ran. Habit. Never again."

"It was that habit that got you captured you know… The ship being blown up… it sent a distress beacon. Whatever Rick that was in your dimension picked up on it; traced it back. And there you were. On a fucking silver platter. No one there to protect you huh? But that's alright… you've done shit like this before, right? Why should you care?" He turns around in the chair. You see cold eyes staring at you. He slowly stands up and straightens out his coat.

"I know…"

"You know? Well good then. You can go home now. I'll contact you when we need something again." Rick walks past you and heads for the elevator. Your heart drops. You turn around to see the doors close as you fall to your knees again. That was it then.

You pull out your portal gun and return to your bed. You crawl under the covers and feel the cold wrap itself around you. Heading back to the kitchen, you grab a bottle of alcohol and lay back in bed, drinking the whole bottle. Once you feel numb, you cry yourself to sleep.

You wake up to the television blaring from the living room. You stumble out of bed with the empty bottle still in your hand. On the couch was Rick, flipping through the channels. You throw the empty bottle against the wall closest to him and go into the kitchen for another. Rick turns off the tv and walks over to sit at the counter. You take the cap off the new bottle and start drinking. He watches you as you drain half the contents and burp.

"What the fuck you want?" You slur out.

"I may have fucked up last night…" Rick starts out. He grabs the bottle from you and drains the second half, slamming it on the table.

"What does it matter?" You lean against the counter and stare at him. The warmth of the alcohol replacing the ice within.

"I put myself in your shoes after you left. Damn near killed myself when someone I loved left… got worried."

"Fuck! Is THAT all? I'm alive, so leave." You stumble around the counter and fall, Rick catches you. "Get off me. You don't, you don't get to… to come here and… fuck with me like… like… like this. You are an asshole!"

"Yep. I am." You look at him. Your vision was blurry, but you swore you saw him starting to cry.

"You fuckin crying?" You slur out.

"Yes dumbass…" Rick looks away as you pull his face towards you.

"Why?"

"Did I fuck up worse then you? Did I lose you?" His voice was quiet.

"Dude, you can never lose me. Just don't send me off somewhere without you again. You dismissed me. You walked away… away… from… me. Oh gods…" you cry against his shoulder. "You're an asshole."

"You said that already…" Rick chuckled.

"Well, you're twice it. We both fucked up… lets move on. I can't lose you… can't… won't actually. Was already planning how to… win you over again…" You hear Rick laugh.

"Oh really? By drinking?"

"Worked so far…" You smile and wink at him. He starts laughing and pulls you upright to face him. His hands hold your face and you sigh as you stare into his eyes. Rick watches you, runs a thumb along your bottom lip and pulls you in for a deep kiss. The cold within you is burnt away by the force of his will. You desperately hold onto him, apologizing again and again. Swearing that you would do anything to make sure that you never lost him. Rick comforts you, assuring you that it's all in the past now and that the two of you just need to move forward. He leads you to the bedroom, lays you down and holds on to you.

"Scar Rick explained what happened between you two. I was mad. I thought you were going to leave me. So, I pushed you away first."

"I don't get it then…" you start while still in a drunken stupor, "what happened to the whole Rickcest idea?" Rick starts laughing hard and you chuckle along with him.

"Oh, now you want us to share you huh?"

"I thought you were going to leave me for him at one point… you two always talking in private…"

"You're drunk… Not sure I could ever fuck a Rick. Sharing… there is always something nice about that…"

"What would you share?"

"You."

"Take turns? Like you get me three days a week or something?"

"No babe. Share as in… at the same time." Rick smiles as he sees your drunken mind slowly figure it out.

"So, I would fuck one then the other?"

"No." Rick waits as a blush covers your face. Your eyes go large as Rick bursts into laughter.

"What… the… fuck… Two? At the dame time? Like both of you? Together? Um… um… um…" Rick turns your head and kisses you, taking your mind off the subject. You drift off in a drunken haze and fall asleep on his chest.


	42. Chapter 42

Chapter 42

Recovery

You wake up alone on your bed with one hell of a hangover. As you sit up, trying not to throw up the leftover alcohol in your system, you take a moment and beg the world to stop spinning. Rick enters with a cup full of brown liquid and pushes it against your chest.

"Drink."

"Whisper…" You take the cup and down the contents. It tasted horrible. You gag but keep the concoction down. After ten minutes you start to feel the drink working; your headache and nausea subsiding. As you stumble into the living room, you see Rick on the phone talking to someone in a chiding manner. He hangs up the phone and throws it against the couch.

"Damn… fucking… bastard. This is not the time for this…" Rick yelled at the phone.

"What's going on? Anything I can help out with?"

"Yes! Yes… Morty needs some assistance… with something… I dunno, didn't really pay attention. Something Morty-ish. Wanna step in for me?"

"Sure! I would love to have some more time to hang out with my man." You smiled large; you really did enjoy spending time with him.

"Great! Get on over to the house then." Rick creates a portal and steps through. As the portal closes, you take a quick shower and change into more comfortable clothes.

As you walk through the portal leading to the Smith house living room, you are confronted with a strange man yelling at Beth. Fearing an attack, you run across the room, grab the man by the wrist and slam him face first against the wall with the wrist twisted behind his back. The stranger yells and starts begging for his life. He tells you of various collections he will give you in exchange for letting him go. You look back at Beth, hoping she will give you some clue as to who this guy is and why he was allowed in her house.

"Oh god Tess… That's Jerry. Can you please… let him go?" She didn't sound too concerned that you might be hurting him; just annoyed that this whole thing happened in the first place.

"Jerry? Seriously?" You take another look at him and let him go.

"Who the hell are you?" Jerry yells back while rubbing his wrist. "Beth, why did you let someone like this in our house?"

"OUR house? OUR house? Excuse me Jerry, but I remember kicking you out of this house. Which is mine by the way. I bought it. I pay the bills. I work for a living." Beth starts to yell at Jerry, finger pointing into his chest with each sentence. You can feel the anger seeping from her. You didn't like this feeling.

"Whoa… Calm it you two." You pull Beth backward and she follows. Standing in front of her, you address Jerry. "I am a friend of Rick's…" Jerry interrupts.

"Oh… a friend of Rick's… makes perfect sense then… now he's inviting others to help ruin my marriage…" Jerry whines out. He is getting on your nerves. You can feel Beth start to yell back from behind you. You turn and place a hand on her shoulder, telling her to breath and allow you to talk to him. She looks into your eyes and nods her head.

"Now… that's not nice Jerry. I came after you left the house. I thought you were a stranger who broke in. I see you yelling at Beth. I got protective. Beth has graciously allowed me to stay in her home when I was displaced. She has taken care of me when I was recovering form the death of a loved one. I have every right to be protective. You should be happy that there is someone here to make sure your family is safe."

"Well… when you put it that way…" Jerry rubs the back of his neck and looks towards the ground. You now see where Morty gets his confidence. "I just wanted to get my coin collection back. Beth and I started arguing and I may have lost my temper…" He was whining throughout the sentence. He was getting on your nerves fast.

"Okay. So if you got this coin collection, you would leave?" Anything to get him out of the house.

"Yes. Of course."

"Beth…" you turn around and look at her. She was rubbing her temples and breathing. "Do you know where this coin collection is?"

"It's in the same place it has always been." She sounded tired and defeated. Now you really hated this man.

"Alright… Jerry, why don't I help you find them then?"

"Uhm… sure." Jerry started to head up the stairs and you followed behind him.

"Beth, stay down here. I'll handle this, okay?"

"Yeah… whatever…" Beth heads towards the kitchen.

You follow Jerry upstairs where Summer and Morty rush out to greet him. Both give him hugs and ask how he is doing, but it is not the over enthusiastic feeling you get when they greet you after a long period apart. You almost get the feeling that they, too, wish he would just leave. This sets your resolve more to get him out. Jerry leads you into a back room that holds various bookshelves, a desk and a computer. He is talking to you about various things, but you only give him half of your attention. You hear comments about how he is in between jobs and that he did contribute to purchasing the house and paying the bills when he worked in advertising. He is continuing to talk about himself as he searches through drawers; you roll your eyes. Now you understand why Rick is so opposed to him.

"Here it is! This is my most valuable possession. I bought these coins that have little R2-D2's on them. They will triple in value one day! Beth always hated them… but I love them. They mean the world to me…" Jerry is running a finger along each of the four coins inside a wooden box with blue velvet lining. You stare at the event, shocked that this was even happening. You almost felt like these two needed to be left alone…

"Uhm… okay…" Jerry closes the lid and looks at you. "You call these coins your most precious possession? That they mean the world to you?"

"Yep. I would be devastated if something were to happen to them…" Again, Jerry looks lovingly at the box. You lose it.

"You know, most people would consider their children to be their most precious possession. Most fathers would be devastated if anything were to happen to their kids…" You stare at him, hoping the correct response would come out of him.

"What? Oh…" He shakes his head and looks back at you. "Yeah. What you said. Well, now that I have this, I can leave. And if you decide to throw me against a wall next time, I will have to place a restraining order against you. Friend of Rick…" Jerry moves past you and out the door. You contemplate pushing him down the stairs, but you know the kids are home.

You walk to the stairs and see him exit the house, locking the door behind him. Shaking you head, you turn around and see the kids standing behind you.

"Hey… we uh, heard what you said." Summer starts out.

"Yeah. And we heard Dad's response…" Morty holds the back of his arm staring downward. You walk up to the kids and pull them both against you, one on each side. With an arm around their shoulders, you hug them both tightly.

"Sorry… I shouldn't have said that. He was wrong. I will always value the two of you higher then any possession. You may not be family in the literal sense… but you are my family now. And I love you two very much. I will fight like hell for you guys." You hear both silently starting to cry. Summer is the first to turn away, walking toward her room.

"Yeah… Totes Tess. Same to you. Love you too. I gotta, text someone or something." She closes the door behind her. You wrap both arms around Morty.

"Tess? Can we get away?" He asks quietly.

"Yes. Let me check on your mom first."

You head downstairs and walk into the kitchen. Beth is sitting on the floor with a glass of wine in one hand and the bottle in the other hand. She looks up at you and smiles. The bottle was practically empty. You smile back and join her on the ground.

"Thanks Tess. I really needed help there. And the way you threw him against the wall? And that squeak that came out of him? Too funny. Been wanting to do that for years." She was smiling with a slight slur to her words, but you could sense the sadness underneath it all.

"Yeah. You alright? This is deeper then just Jerry isn't it?"

"Yeah. Way deeper. But, I can handle it, you know? I got this. I have to. I'm a mom. I have to be strong for my kids. Show them that everything is alright and that I made the right decision. That I didn't fuck over my life by marring a man that I knew I could control who would never leave me. That I didn't think that the safe way was to settle and raise a family before I was ready. That I was certain that I would be able to continue with my teaching and get my medical degree. That I was certain that Jerry would be able to hold down a fucking job and support me and that I would not be left alone to do everything when I had no idea what I was doing!" Beth started to cry. She continued though. "I settled for a shell of a man to replace the father who disappeared. I knew Jerry would never leave so I kept him near. All I wanted was to make sure that my kids would grow up with a father… and look what I did. They grew up with us yelling and fighting over everything. I know when my parents split now…" She finishes off the glass. "They kept me from this… from the fighting and the blame and the guilt… You know he's moved on? Fucking an alien! And me? I'm here, trying to hold down a house and kids and my father and, and, and… I just don't know who I am anymore Tess. I don't know who Beth is…" She is fully crying now and falls into your arms. You hold on to her and close your eyes. You can relate in some ways.

"Beth. I agree that you don't know who you are anymore. You have spent so much time focusing on the various roles of your life that you have let them define you. But they are not you. You need to take this time to find Beth. Find what thrills you, what motivates you, what makes you laugh, what makes your heart beat so fast that you are afraid you may die of a heart attack. When was the last time you felt passion directed at you?"

"What? Passion?" She laughs. "You got to be kidding me? I'm married, I have kids, there isn't really the opportunity for passion."

"Wrong answer. There is always time for passion. There is always time to feel love. Always. And if you don't… then maybe walking away is the correct answer. How about… we get wrecked. I take you to a bar and we go hunting." Beth looks up to you, wiping tears away from her eyes, smearing her mascara.

"Hunting?"

"Yeah. For a man. Your choice. Flirt, dance sensuously. Grind up to a hot man and get all flustered. You don't have to fuck him… you can if you want…" You wink at her as she giggles. "But go out! Will you?"

"You know what? Alright. I will. I need to feel sexy for once. I deserve it! I will probably have a different answer once the wine wears off…"

"I won't let you get out of this one. It's a date Beth. I'll take you somewhere to flaunt what you got. Now if you don't mind, I'm going to take Morty out."

"Oh, alright. Thanks." Beth stands up with your help and you walk her to the couch. As you turn on the television, Morty comes around the corner. You give him a smile and a wink and squeeze Beth on the shoulder. She smiles up at you and mouths the words 'thank you'. You grab Morty and head out to the garage.


	43. Chapter 43

Chapter 43

Family Ties

Morty walks out of the portal after you and you lead him to a back room in your underground base. Along the way, Morty asks about the various weapons he sees along the walls and you are more then happy to describe each. As you near the back room, Morty looks to you and asks what you have planned. You give him a sly smile and lead him into a long room with one window for firing weapons. Morty gives you a big smile and runs up to the stall. At the end, you can see the various targets that laid in ruins. You smile at the memory.

"Alright boy! You get to test out any weapon that will not knock you on your ass."

"From the last room?" He asks hastily.

"Yes…" and Morty is off before you finish reminding him that size matters. You laugh and shake your head. You knew that Rick had Morty shoot various guns throughout their adventures, but there was something different about being able to just shoot a weapon without the stress of hitting something. This is where you would go on long nights away from your ex. Shooting things helped relieve the pent-up energy caused by so many nights alone.

"I found one…" Morty hops into the room with a small energy weapon. You were surprised he choose the smallest one out there. This one was one of your favorite standby weapons. It was small enough to fit almost anywhere undetected but powerful enough to kill when needed. Not good for long range but excellent for close combat. You smile and bring the holographic targeting system online.

"Good choice. This is a great one for close combat and for concealment. This holograph will react to where the shot hits. If you want to destroy things, let me know. I have some art crap that we can blast to pieces."

"That's alright. I just want to shoot holograms. I need to get better at this. Rick always hands me guns and I'm just no good at aiming."

"Well, no one is relying on you now. Take your time. Get to know the weapon. Relax."

"Relax…" Morty takes a deep breath and shoots. He jumps at the recoil and almost drops the gun. You move in quickly to grab it before it hit the floor. "Awe geez… you see? I'm worthless…"

"Stop that now! I don't ever want to hear that again. You are not worthless. This is a new gun. You were not expecting the recoil from this gun. You need to discover this for yourself and learn; adapt to what you have. I'm not going to teach you these things. I want you to explore and learn on your own. There are no wrong answers. Unless you feel the uncontrollable urge to look down a barrel. Then I will yell at you."

"Geez Tess. Not even I would do that!" Morty rolled his eyes. "So I can just take my time and explore? You… you won't make fun of me?"

"Nope. I learned this way. And every time I create a new weapon, I have to come in here and do the same thing you are doing now. I have to explore the weapon and figure out what works and what needs tweaking. So, have at it."

Morty gives you a bug smile and approaches the table again with a new confidence. You stand by his side for hours as he tries out each weapon. The only time you stepped in was to correct posture that would cause him pain. Other then that, you were pretty proud of how Morty handled himself. He was able to adapt to recoils and adjust grips after shooting the gun only once. He played around with the holographic targeting system, moving federation goons closer and farther away. He couldn't aim worth shit, but he was able to get over the fear of being ridiculed. Morty was enjoying himself and you loved the smile on his face; the confidence in his step.

After a majority of the smaller weapons were tried, Morty asked for only one of the lager ones and asked to see you shoot it. You had asked why and he told you that he was curious as to what kind of destruction that one would make. A large smile spread across your lips as you told him how proud you were of that answer. Popping open a portal, you take Morty to the other side of the planet. Nothing grew over here, there was an active volcano that spewed out rocks and lava almost hourly. Any weapon damage would be covered up by the next eruption. Morty steps back as you prepare the weapon. For this one, you had to set it up on a tripod and lay on the ground. The casing for the energy bullets where about a foot long and six inches in diameter. As you load it, you count down to the next eruption. When you came within five minutes, you shoot the weapon, the recoil pushing hard against your shoulder. The blast radius was large; at least three yards. Morty whistles behind you as you marvel at the lack of fire and smoke. This one was designed to strike fast and hit without causing fire damage. This way, the troops could reclaim the land in the future.

Your countdown expired as the volcano erupted and covered the area with huge rocks once again. Another portal was created and you and Morty were back in the weapons room. Morty watches as you clean out the barrel and place the weapon back on the wall.

"Do the other weapons need to be cleaned?" Morty asks over your shoulder.

"I can do that later. It's almost calming to me."

"Can you teach me?" You turn around and look at Morty.

"You know what? Yes, I can." You wink at him as a huge smile covers his face. You call Beth to let her know that Morty will be out for a bit longer. She thanks you for keeping her updated and lets you know that she will be taking Summer out for a movie. You press a couple of buttons along the wall and a huge table rises from the floor. Along the table is a runner made of neoprene. You lay each weapon fired along the runner and bring Morty up beside you. You run through the basics of cleaning out weapons and provide him with a holographic visual for each weapon. As you and Morty start to clean, he starts to talk.

"Did Rick tell you that I got to dance with Jessica?"

"Yep. After I hit him. I'm so proud of you! How did it go?"

"It went better then it would have if you hadn't taught me. I know now that I would have been so nervous that I would have f-ed up." You smile at his lack of swearing. "I was able to start a conversation and keep a friendly distance. And guess what? She moved in first! I almost lost it, but remembered what you said. I acted as if it were nothing and told some jokes that made her laugh. And then she kissed me on the cheek and said that maybe she was wrong about me. Then she left. But still!" He was beaming with pride.

"My little lover boy! You go! Soon you'll be fucking her in the back seat of a car…"

"What? I… uhm… I…" He started to blush and rub the back of his neck. He was too cute when he was flustered. Damn, this was probably the reason why the Ricks did it to you.

"Sorry. Of course you would do the right thing and court her first." You knock against his shoulder. "Then you can F her." He smiles when you copy his curse words.

"Thanks. I think this is a good thing you know?"

"Yes, it is big man. Yes, it is." Morty smiles as the two of you continue to clean weapons for a while in silence. You take a moment to break the silence, offering something to him that was offered to you at one point. "Morty? Do you trust me? Do you feel comfortable around me?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"Well, I know what it is like to be behind the curve when it comes to… sexual matters. I'm being serious here…"

"Okay…" Morty is fully focusing on his weapon now.

"I just wanted to let you know, that it is sometimes good to have someone of the opposite sex help school you. Like, tell you the truth and not the made-up bullshit of porn. To really answer the questions you may have with honesty and to not be judged for having those questions."

"Yeah?" Morty looks at you then; his full attention on you. "Really? You mean it? Like, I can come ask you questions from a woman's point of view and you would answer without… teasing me?"

"Yep. I promise."

"Wow… thanks! I really like that. I mean, I never felt comfortable talking to mom or Summer… especially not Rick… so thanks. Did you have someone to talk to?"

"Um… yeah. I… did. Someone taught me about things I was too shy to ask my husband. I never had ANY experience before him. And then bam… full sex. He had only had a couple of partners before me. So, there were holes and I felt almost ashamed asking about certain things." You felt nervous around this line of questioning, but you wanted to be open to him if you expected the same in return.

"Like what? What was… you know… something you didn't know and were, I dunno… ashamed to ask about?" Morty looked at the ground and you knew he was testing you out. He had something he wanted to ask but didn't want to give it up. You knew the one thing you could tell him about. The most embarrassing thing you had to get schooling on…

"Well… don't tell anyone… but I had never, um, touched myself before. I was raised that touching others were bad and I never… you know…"

"Masturbated?" Morty answered matter-of-factly. You stare at him with a slight smile.

"Yes. See, that was an embarrassing thing for me to admit but you don't seem to have problem saying the word. I did. I had to ask about it."

"How did a member of the opposite sex help out with that? I would assume a girl would be better to ask."

"I… never had many girls that were friends. Didn't get along with them. I had guys. And one of them encouraged me to talk about these sort of things, knowing that I was new to it all but married. When he had found out that I never had explored myself… he helped explain things. Helped me to get over the stigma. Told me what worked for him when he would do these things to his lovers. It… helped; in a way because I knew he wouldn't judge me. That opened the door to… trust him more. To feel comfortable asking."

"Wow. I… I… well, I'm not sure how to slow things…" he looks at his crotch, "down. You know?"

"Ah… well there are things that girls can do to assist. Mainly remember to take your time and pull away to breath. Take a moment to calm yourself and focus on other things. Don't be ashamed… this can be a compliment, tell the girl that. She arouses you so much that it's hard to focus… There are things you can work on at home too. Getting yourself to that point and practicing calming yourself."

"I didn't think of that. Thanks! You really… really didn't make fun of me. Rick would have torn me a new one with all the jokes… This means a lot… Thanks!" Morty goes back to cleaning the weapons with a smile on his face. You smile as well, happy you were able to help in an area he obviously didn't feel comfortable talking to anyone else about.

After another hour, the two of you finish cleaning the weapons and placing them back against the wall. You go back to the living room and go to the kitchen to cook dinner as Morty surfs through the channels. Suddenly he turns off the tv and calls out to you. He asks if you could join him on the couch for a minute. You put down the knife and sit next to him. Morty turns towards you, looking at his hands that were placed on his lap. You can tell that there is something he wants to say but he can't quite find the way to start.

"I'm here Morty." He looks up at you and smiles quickly. He looks back at his hands and the silence stretches for a while. You start to feel what this could be about. "Is this about me f-ing up?"

"Yes." He replies silently but quickly.

"I didn't quite know how much you guys fell into my everyday life. I've spent my whole life being alone."

"I thought you were married?"

"Yeah… that… It wasn't all sunshine and roses Morty. What I'm going to tell you… it's not something I've voiced before. I was married to Rick but I wasn't with him all the time. We would have a month together before heading off to another planet and helping other races fight against the federation. He would get consumed in his work… I would go to the front line and fight. At first, he would contact me every night. Then it stopped. He would tell people that no one could distract him, especially his wife. It hurt. But I understood because I would get that way when crafting weapons."

"You would push people who needed you away too?" Morty asked. That hurt too much. You realized he was right.

"No. I wouldn't."

"Yeah, figured. You're not like that. You always help. You always care."

"Thank you. So I guess I never truly understood what he did. But nonetheless, I was left alone for months… at times, years. He loved me, that was no doubt, but I barely saw him. And the fire he created was still there… I wanted my husband. But..." you look off, lost in memories. "This was my life. I made friends where I could. But in the end, family was not something that stuck with me through everything. And then I meet you guys. You want to be around me. You want to be with me. You actually like it. You don't leave. You… you…" you start to tear up and Morty places a hand on your shoulder.

"I didn't know Tess. That must have been hard. That's what I wanted to tell you. That no matter how mad we may get and what we may say to you, I don't think any of us will ever leave you. We may make your life a living hell… but we would never abandon you. You are a part of us all. That's why we were so angry. And scared. We love you." Morty pulls you against him for a hug. You lose it. You start sobbing against him. You cling on to his yellow shirt as if it were your last life line; as if it were the only thing that mattered in your lonely life.

"I never knew… it could… be like this. I never want to lose this. Please. I can't live knowing what this was like and losing it…" Morty pulls you off him and stares at you.

"You are stuck with the Smith family. That I can guarantee. I love you Tess. As f-ed up as we are, you are a part of us. You've done so much good for our family already. I mean, mom hasn't drunk as much as she usually does, Summer is talking to me more, and Rick is… nicer, happier. And you believe in me. I know you love us…"

"I love you too Morty. Thank you." You hug him again and excuse yourself to the bathroom to clean up. As you walk back in, you hear Morty on the phone.

"Yes mom, I made sure to let her know. Yeah, she cried. I told her we loved her… yes. I know… love you too mom." Morty places the phone back in his pocket and channel surfs some more. You place your back against the wall and slide down in shock. Beth was calling to confirm that the conversation occurred. No one has ever put you first… no one. You start to panic, not realizing that this was new and unknown. You cover your eyes and focus on your breathing. Then you hear a portal opening in the room. You look up to see Rick running over.

"Are you alright? Is everything okay? What's happening?" Rick was looking over you as you stare at him in shock.

"I thought you were in an important meeting off world? I thought you were going to be out for a couple of days? You told us not to bug you unless it was an emergency…" You stare at him, your breathing not slowing down.

"Yeah yeah… whatever. I felt you in a panic and ported over here. What's wrong? Please tell me?" Rick placed a hand on your face and you lose it. You jump in to his arms and start sobbing all over again. You hear Morty running into the room.

"Rick? What's going on? Is there an… Is Tess alright?"

"What happened? Did something happen?" Rick sounded worried. You faintly hear Morty explain the conversation you two had as you bury your head into Rick's shirt. You wrap your arms inside his jacket and around his waist to squeeze tightly. He lowers himself to the ground and positions you on his lap, still holding on tight. You listen to his heart beat and tune out the explanation. You hear Rick's heart beat speed up and slow down; this was all you focused on. Then you hear… "Tess, you will never be alone again. I promise." Rick strokes your hair and kisses the top of your head.

"Yeah…" Morty replies, "you're stuck with at least some of us…"

"You're stuck with all of us. I'm not leaving you. I've made too many mistakes in my life. I need you by my side. And you know me, I will work with you because it turns me on."

"Awe geez Rick, did you have to say that with me here?" Morty whines out. You smile against Rick's shirt.

"What? If you don't like it, leave. I can tell me girl how much I wanna fuck her all I want. Just 'cause you have sensitive ears…"

"Oh man, Rick stop it. That's Tess you're talking about."

"Yeah, I know. She's one fine ass piece of tail that I would give my left nut to fuck every day. Plus she loves me. How crazy is that? Shit girl, not only is the sex off the charts, but you love me back. Imagine all the nasty things I get to do to you now? Maybe a threesome is in the future?"

"Oh god Rick… no… that's too much!" Morty leaves the bedroom and retreats back to the living room. You are laughing in Rick's arms as he pulls your chin up for a kiss.

"Now I know two people to bug about this threesome." He wiggles his brow and winks.

"You're just teasing… It's not nice."

"Who says I'm teasing love? I've had my fair share of three, four, even five ways… guys, gals; too much fun. Wouldn't want you to go through your whole life never getting to fuck two Ricks… you tell me how well I am in bed… now double that baby. The things we could do to you… Fuck… I love watching you orgasm babe. To watch that happen from the touch of another…" You blush hard at his descriptions and push yourself away from him. Rick chuckles and stands up. "I'll make dinner tonight. You stay here a moment and think about what I said. It's going to happen babe… one day…"


	44. Chapter 44

Chapter 44

The Bonds That Break

Rick made a very nice dinner for you and Morty; the table conversation changed from light teasing to Rick actually asking Morty how he was doing in school. Morty beamed from the positive attention and told Rick about being able to shoot weapons with you. Rick had only positive things to say back, so the whole dinner was a wonderful experience. Afterwards, Morty offered to clean the dishes and Rick took him back home. You were left alone to clean up the table and actually sit down to watch something on the tv. You started to doze off on the couch when you hear a portal opening in the bedroom. As you stretch, you realized that no one was leaving the room and you rushed over to see what was going on. On the floor, covered in blood and naked, was Scar Rick. As you assess his wounds, you call Rick on the phone and rush to get supplies for the cleanup. Rick lets you know that there was a couple of serums that he would grab before porting over to you.

As you run back to the room, Scar Rick looks up at you with weary eyes. His breathing is shallow as you assure him that he is safe and that he just needs to rest while you and Rick deal with this. Scar Rick closes his eyes and lets out a deep breath. By the time you have cleaned off the blood and started to bandage the wounds, Rick ports through and hands you a syringe.

"Alright. This one here is to help speed up the healing. The one I have is for any internal damage. Since we are talking about Kat'Rin and the fact that he came directly to us… this does not bode well. You need to use yours first while I hold down his arms. He is unconscious now, but he may try to fight us off." Rick moved to the top while he pinned down Scar Rick's arms. You took the syringe and emptied it into his leg. Rick was pushing down on his arms but there wasn't much fighting.

"That wasn't too bad. Want me to give the second shot?"

"Yeah. Other leg." Rick hands you the other syringe and you empty it into the other leg. Scar Rick tenses up for a bit and then relaxes. Rick backs you up and moves to pick him up. You clear off the blankets as Rick lays him on the bed. His temperature is taken and blankets are added. "Shouldn't take too long for the meds to kick in and the healing to begin."

"Alright. Gods… I hate seeing him like this. Last time, he was awake at least. He had a lot of wounds along his body. Scratches, tares, and knife wounds. Nothing deep. He also had… cuts along his…" you motion to his crotch. Rick looks at you.

"His crotch. Just say, his crotch." Rick smiles and shakes his head. You blush. "You know, you've said worse to me in bed…"

"That was different. Heat of the moment. He's lying there in pain… I don't wanna be crude…"

"Crude? Seriously? You gotta be kidding. He's a Rick, he's heard worse than crotch…"

"Knock it off! Tease me all you want… but I still don't want to, embarrass him."

Rick started to laugh as you leaned over to hit him. The two of you bicker a bit more before you hear something from Scar Rick. You put up a finger to quiet Rick as you look downward. He is trying to say something but it's too quiet to hear right now. You lean down and have him whisper in your ear. You start to blush as Rick cracks up.

"What did he say?" Rick asks between laughing.

"Not going to answer you." You answer back stubbornly. Scar Rick had whispered several different words to use instead of 'crotch'. You look down at him and see him starting to laugh. "I guess the shots worked."

"Whoa… welcome back bud." Rick leans over to look into his eyes. "Good, not too dilated. Welcome home. Tess, could you go get a glass of water?"

"Sure." You knew he was getting rid of you to talk to him alone; Rick had a worried look on his face. You guessed that he didn't want you hearing what happened with Kat'Rin. As you filled up a glass, you stop and think about what could have happened. Nothing you could think of made sense. There was no way Kat'Rin could have known that he helped you. After five minutes, you return to see Rick nod his head. You walk into the room and see Scar Rick sitting up. You handed him the glass and waited while he drank the whole thing.

"Hey lover. I'm alright. As you said before, I don't trust the medic on board." Scar Rick was trying to lighten the mood.

"Liar. Tell me the truth."

"Alright… alright. So, basically sex with you has made me immune to Kat'Rin's power she held over me. There was no cold push of power forcing me to enjoy the moment. There was no power forcing me to do anything she wanted me to. She noticed and pushed harder. Then she hurt me… a lot. And there was no pleasure to mask this pain." Scar Rick reaches out to hold your face. You had started to tear up at the mention of him being forced.

"This has never happened before?" Rick asked.

"No. The only time I have been able to break away from her will, was after being with Tess. Truthfully, Kat'Rin's power is nothing compared to Tess." Scar Rick was still looking into your eyes. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I was worried. Now… was this my fault?" You ask silently.

"Nope. My fault. Had made up my mind that I was going to fuck you one way or another… it was just a matter of time lover. So, in the end, my decision. This was just forced and happened sooner. Totally worth it." He winks at you and pulls you in for a short kiss.

"Whoa, hey there… remember what we talked about..." Rick crossed his arms.

"Sorry, I remember… we share now. Got it." Scar Rick winks.

"Oh gods no… not you too." You shake your head and sigh.

"Me too?" Scar Rick shakes his head. "We were negotiating terms. You think I'm teasing? That's too cute lover."

"I tried to tell her this was going to happen. I still don't think she believes me." Rick whispers to Scar Rick.

"Nope… not going to deal with this now…" You back off the bed and out of the room. You hear the Ricks laughing in the bedroom.


	45. Chapter 45

Chapter 45

The Ties That Bind

Rick walks out of the room about forty-five minutes later. He lets you know that Scar Rick was finally sleeping and sits down next to you on the couch. Rick places an arm around you as you lean in against him.

"Is he going back Rick?" You asked silently.

"No. I won't let him. Took his portal gun. She will kill him next time. Not sure why she didn't this time. Probably didn't put all the pieces together yet… She will though, and when she does, she will want revenge. _And_ she will want _your_ head too. You stole one of her Ricks; her second Rick." He winks. "Sucks to be you."

"Gee, thanks." You sigh loudly. With nothing else to say, you lean into Rick and close your eyes. The tv is turned off as the two of you fall asleep. After a while you hear small noises coming from the bedroom. As you sit up, the noises become yells and screams. You bolt to the bedroom to see Scar Rick on the ground in a fetal position. Your heart drops as you run over to him. He is covered in sweat and shaking from what you know is a night terror. You have woken up too many times in that state to not recognize it. As you lean down next to him, you can faintly hear him whimpering, telling Kat'Rin to stop. You place a hand on his back and he flinches, pulling away to stare up at you with horror. He scoots back until he bumps up against the wall, the look of horror and anger forming in his eyes. You know that he is not seeing you, but it still pains you. You yell for Rick in the living room.

"What is it babe? I just got to slee…" he stops suddenly and rushes over to Scar Rick. "Hey, bud, look at me. Look at me." Rick pulls his gaze away from you to stare directly at him. Scar Rick starts to breathe and calms down. He grabs a hold of Rick and starts shaking again. "It's alright. Kat'Rin is not here bud. She is not here. You are safe. You're home." Rick keeps repeating these words while rocking Scar Rick. He looks to you as you start to tear up.

"Will he be alright?" You ask silently.

"Yeah. You know… nightmares are hard to wake up from."

"Yeah… I should… go…" you start to stand up and Rick stops you.

"Come here."

"I don't think…"

"Yeah, for once don't think. _Come. Here. Now_." You feel Rick's words echo within you and you follow the sound of his voice. The warmth swirls around the two of you and intensifies as you step closer. Scar Rick responds by relaxing his entire body and letting out a sigh. His own unique heat responds by spinning around you adding to the mix. You close your eyes as you approach, afraid to see that look in Scar Rick's eyes again. Rick grabs a hold of you to pull you downward; pulling your arm to rest along Scar Rick's back. His response this time was more of a comfort. He leaned back into your arms and rested his head on your chest. You fight back tears and look at Rick. He smiles and touches the side of your face.

"See… it takes time to fully awake." Rick leans in to kiss you gently on your lips. You feel Scar Rick's own heat answer to your arousal and he raises to look at the two of you.

"I thought we were supposed to share?" He responds in a weak voice.

"Dude, she's right here…" Rick winks as you close your eyes. Again with the teasing. And then Scar Rick pulls your face towards his and kisses you with a deeper intensity. You feel the resonance of his heat; an almost begging for _your_ touch. Lost in his fire, you answer with a moan as you turn fully into him. Scar Rick breaks the kiss and looks up behind you to Rick.

"I need her. I need Tess. These memories are too much. There was nothing to fog it over like all the times before. Now, what she did is all I can focus on; all I can think about; all I fucking see. Now I know the truth I was blind to for so long." Scar Rick shudders again and you pull him in for another kiss.

"That's not going to be a problem…" Rick replies as her leans in from behind to kiss along your neck. You straighten up as two distinct fires engulf you. Both moan in response as Scar Rick takes your face into his hands.

"Lover, do you want this? Do you want us?" His voice was still, almost silent in the dark room. In a haze, you look to him and quietly breathe out…

"Gods yes."

After those words, Rick lifts your shirt from behind as Scar Rick works on removing your bra. Scar Rick was already naked from when he exited the bed, so you reach downward and grab a hold of him, feeling the warmth and the hardness. He hisses out a curse with a smile on his face while pausing to enjoy the movement of your hand along his form. You hear a dark chuckle from Rick behind you as he starts to suck along your neck, one hand enveloping a breast while the other is working on unfastening your pants. Scar Rick opens his eyes and assists Rick to fully pull them free. Rick backs away to unclothe himself as you are turned around to watch him. Scar Rick's arms wrap around you as he starts to move his fingers along your stomach and farther below. He reaches the outside to gently play along the tip as you arch your back and let out a sigh. Rick is standing in front of you, watching while he strokes himself.

You open your eyes and motion for Rick to come closer. He approaches while standing and you grab a hold of his member, pulling it towards your waiting mouth. Rick moans loudly as Scar Rick speeds up his motion down below. His fingers are moving along your length from tip to opening, dipping inside momentarily to pull out again. With each dip you grab on tighter to Rick's base to hear him moan. The duel sensations, mixed with the maddening explosion of fire excites you. You slowly pull away from Rick and turn around to look at the other.

"How do we do this?" You ask breathlessly. Rick chuckles.

"Just let us do our thing babe."

Both stand up as Scar Rick presses against you for a deep kiss. Rick turns you to your side and both place an arm around their shoulders. At once, both lift you up, each supporting a leg across their chest. Scar Rick is the first to reach behind you to position himself into your opening. Slowly they support your body to lower along his length as you groan in acceptance. They move you along him for a short period, Rick stroking your tip with his fingers to create more moisture. At one point Scar Rick starts talking to the other about when the right time was or something else. You tuned it out. You kept your focus on the heat, the pleasure and the feeling of being completely supported by the two men you have grown to love. The movement comes to a halt with Scar Rick fully inside you. Rick reaches behind and pulls himself towards the same opening. You look over to him as he winks. For a second you panicked, unsure you would be able to take them both without feeling immense pain. But once Rick started to enter, your head falls back and the worry is erased.

Rick enters slowly, you can see him watching your reaction. You give him a moan and tell him to hurry up. A chuckle is heard from Scar Rick as the other pushes in the rest of the way. All three of you let out a gasp as the two take turns pushing in and pulling out. While one was pulling out, the other pushed in, causing a cascading of sensations to run along your body. At first their speed was slow, each one watching your expression, careful not to hurt. The speed started to quicken after a while and you screamed for more. Both men started to breathe heavily as each grabbed one cheek of your ass while the other gripped along your thigh. You relaxed your entire body allowing them to bounce you up and down as needed while each taking their turn to envelope themselves within. Curse words were thrown out into the night as you are surrounded by a blinding heat. You can feel the passion from both. Rising towards a climax, you hear Scar Rick whisper words of pleasure and desire. Rick is speeding up as well until your body gives way and you are wracked with an orgasm that tightens your entire body. You scream out as you arch your back, the boys both exiting to allow your body react as it may.

For a while you are supported by both as your body calms its contractions from the massive wave that was your first orgasm. When your breathing slowed, Rick hands you over to the other as he motions for the bed. You are laid down as each approaches one side. Rick comes in first to kiss you passionately as Scar Rick lifts your leg and pushes you to your side. Scar Rick enters from behind and starts pushing along you as you yell for Rick. He smiles devilishly and moves his body tightly against yours. Rick brings his leg around you, which you see Scar Rick grab and support. Rick then positions himself within your other opening and pushes inside. The angle is shallow but the sensation of his tip entering and exiting creates enough pleasure. Rick is expressing how every night could be like this. That he would do anything to see this look upon your face now. With the two inside both areas and creating their own speed, you feel a pulse circle around you, stoking the fire again. Scar Rick yells that he is close and Rick barks for him to exit.

Rick kisses you again ad rolls you on top of him. You sit up and move yourself along him for a bit as Scar Rick gets on his knees to kiss you, grabbing your breasts. Rick places his hands behind his head and watches the two of you. Words are exchanged as each tells the other what to do, where to go and what each can feel you respond to. At one point, Scar Rick pushes you down on top of Rick and goes around behind you. He grabs your ass and pushes himself within again. You are told to relax by both. As you roll your eyes and smile, Scar Rick pushes his length within you which causes you to raise up along Rick. He groans loudly, closing his eyes. As Scar Rick exits, you are pulled back down along Rick's length and it is your turn to yell out. Faster and faster the passion builds as you beg one to finish, that you can't take anymore. Both laugh and Scar Rick replies with a snarky 'as you wish' comment. He slams into you a couple more times than remains within as he finishes. As he pulls out, Rick grabs a hold of your ass and flips you over. Once on top, he pounds into you until he rests within, smaller convulsions echoing within his body.

After he pulls out, both start talking about how you didn't orgasm that last time. You smile and breathlessly say that there was too much to focus on and that you were happy to enjoy the duel sensations. Of course that answer didn't work for them. You hear the two start to argue about the best ways to make you orgasm. Wanting to be difficult, you lower your own hand below and start to move your fingers along your tip. They go silent above you and Scar Rick grumbles and pulls your hand to the side, pinning it. Curses come out as they both yell at how impatient you are. A blush crosses your face and they both stare. Rick is the first to lower himself downward, licking along the sides to close his lips around the tip. The sucking alone draws a gasp from you and the tingling sensations start to run along your body. Scar Rick curses, telling the other about the pleasure you are taking from him. Rick takes this as his invitation to push a finger within, finding your inner spot and rubbing against it.

The sensation of Rick hitting your favorite spot and Scar Rick leaning over to suck and twist your nipples send you over the edge. You tense up for a minute and then release as you scream upon coming. Rick removes himself to run hands along your body and return to your side to kiss you again. Scar Rick lowers himself to continue the motion of sucking and playing with his tongue. Following so close to the last orgasm, you feel the fire pull you along to another orgasm as your body jerks up and spasms. Rick locks his mouth around you as you wrap your hands within his hair and pull. Your screams are encased within his mouth as your body slowly lowers back to the bed. Rick lays down behind you, pulling you against him to spoon. Scar Rick lays facing you as you stroke his cheek.

"God… That was amazing…" Scar Rick stares at you as Rick kisses your neck.

"For being her first three-way, she was pretty responsive huh?" Rick teases.

"Yeah, not bad lover. Too bad we only hit two of the positions. Not sure she would have been able to withstand any more tonight."

"Give it time. This was a good run. Two is a lot for first timers…"

"Oh gods… would you two stop!" You yell out.

"Goodness, Rick. We made her blush again." Scar Rick looks behind you with a large smile. You close your eyes; you can't help when you blush.

"Well, well," started Rick, "so you have no issues during, but after… how dare we discuss things. Maybe we should start using code words… remember her reaction when I said crotch."

"Oh yeah. I tried to help out by whispering many other names for it… I guess it didn't work…""

"Was that what you were saying?" Rick starts laughing behind you; his chest raising and falling with the effort. The two of them continue to take turns teasing you and you lay there, smiling from the attention and the love you feel.

"I really needed this guys. I needed the two of you. More than I thought I did." Scar Rick whispered.

"Me too." You silently answer. Scar Rick looks into your eyes and kisses you. You wrap your arms around him and pull him up against you. Your leg falls over him and Rick closes in behind you.

"You two… What am I going to do with you guys? Neither one of you better start crying. Last thing I need is a weepy person. And listen Scar Rick… I may be sharing a bed and _my_ woman with you, but if I _ever_ wake up to your dick across my leg… that's it. We're done!" Rick had pushed himself up from behind you as you watched Scar Rick regard him. There was a long silence and then both started to laugh. You roll your eyes wondering what you got yourself into now.


	46. Chapter 46

Chapter 46

The Idea

You wake up and stretch among the arms and legs of your two Ricks. A warm smile plays along your face as you remember the events of the evening before. The thought alone started to create a heat from within and you notice Scar Rick starting to stir next to you. This thought intrigues you. Scar Rick responds to you even when sound asleep. The bond growing between you two was strange. With your ex and with Rick, there was a build across time and interactions. You didn't have that many interactions with Scar Rick and things progressed rather quickly in a shorter time. Well, it was the same with your ex too. But you never felt this from your ex. Neither of these guys reminded you of your ex in any way what so ever. This thought made you bolt out of the bed with an idea.

You run to the adjacent room and use the computer terminal to type in a secret code to an old friend and an old group. These freedom fighters were your salvation back in the days of constant battles and war. The original four founding members were already fighting for half a century and were all well over two hundred Earth years old. The main leader, Mack, was your point of contact. It takes a while to find what dimension they were in and to triangulate where their ship was. Once located, you were able to use the personal communication system between you two. Mack appears on the hologram projector with just his pants on. He is well over six feet tall, large muscles, and long black hair which was usually tied back. You could tell it was morning with how he was stretching and yawning. You smile at the eye candy.

"Hey Mack."

"Hey baby girl… You alright? It's early for us…" You see Mack look over your body. "You're naked girl."

"Oh shit. Sorry. Got up too fast. Had the idea to call you and you know how I get when an idea flies in…"

"Yeah, almost ran out naked into the front line once… Don't get dressed, I like the view…" You smile coyly as he chuckles. "What do you need? Shall I come to you?"

"No. This is going to sound crazy… I met two Ricks. Totally different from… _him_ … and they need help. There is another version of me who is bat shit crazy and needs to be taken down. There are innocent lives aboard her ship as well as various Ricks whom she uses and abuses. I'm not sure what the plan is exactly but no matter what, I know they would need you guys."

"Nothing so far sounds crazy. Remember I can bounce around the dimensions as well. More Ricks though… You know I _hated_ yours. What makes you think I will help out _these_?" Mack sits down and crosses his arms, looking as stubborn as he sounds.

"Come on. Please? If you got to know them, you would see how different they really are. I mean one is almost exactly like me. Please?"

"What will you give me?" He raises his eye brow and smiles wickedly. His eyes trail along your body as he licks his lips. You stare at him for a second and then smile wide.

"Free booze and a place for everyone to hang out and get to know each other? I'll sing…"

"Shit baby girl, got me at free booze!" He jumps up and walks closer to the terminal. "Send me coordinates when you get them. I agree to a meeting. The boys will want to see you again, to make sure you're alright. If these Ricks remind me of the stories you told me about _him_ … then I'm out and you don't get to _ever_ bug me again about supporting another Rick."

"And if I am right, you will support them in _whatever_ they need?"

"Yes."

"It's a date."

"Make sure to come in clothing… sexy as you are… the boys will lose their shit. So damned protective of their _baby girl_ …" the last was said in a murmur as he disconnected.

"Who was that?" Rick asked walking into the communications room. "And why are you naked still?"

"Idea… just ran in. I have a group of fighters that I worked with a lot back in the days. The original four are still fighting with some old guys I remember and a few new ones. They go where they're needed; freedom fighters, they like to say. A lot of times they would meet me where I was and help me out. Ended up that everywhere I went, they were either already there or on their way. I have a personal communications device with their leader, Mack. I've arranged a meet and greet." You turn around and start typing out locations on the terminal. "Gotta find a bar…"

"Whoa babe, one idea at a time." Rick turns you around to look at him again. "What makes you think we need to talk to them."

"Come on. You guys will need fighters to help board the ship and rescue the innocents OR help you kick ass. These guys will do that."

"We have enough troops…" Rick starts out but you interfere.

"Who are probably all Ricks? Why would you bring Ricks into a fight with a psycho bitch like Kat'Rin that could possibly control them? What makes you think she can't control you? What makes you think that I don't fear this every night?"

"Babe. Scar Rick was able to break her bond with yours. I have always been with you. No way could she offer me something that would be better then what you offer… Your heat is my lifeline babe. But you have a point about the other Ricks in the battle."

"Ha! So you didn't think about that!" You stand with your arms crossed, smiling.

"Don't be cocky… that's for later…" he winks and pulls you against him. Rick kisses you deep while running his hands along your body.

"Hey, don't change the subject… Will you meet them?"

"Yes. We will. Just Scar Rick and myself though. Not the rest of the team. This is our decision not theirs."

"Of course! Oh, I'm planning on bringing the family as well." You back away and smile.

"What? Why?"

"Because they are my family too and I want them to meet my old gang. And my old gang will want to meet everyone too. I miss them. They were all I had for a long time. Almost family but not. The Smith's are far closer to me and mean more in different ways."

"Alright…"

"Besides, I already told Beth I was going to introduce her to some fine ass guys… and I know there are some in the group…"

"Fuck! You're going to set up my daughter with a booty call?"

"Yep!" You smile proudly.

"Well, at least it will help her forget that loser."

"Thought you might agree. There are at least six I can think of…

"Six what?"

"Guys who I think are sexy. Hopefully Beth has the same taste…"

"You sure you never fucked any of these guys?" Rick looks at you with a cocked head.

"I have only ever been with Ricks." And you turn around to look up a location and book the entire place for the night. Rick leaves with a sigh. You can hear him tell Scar Rick the new plan as you send Mack the coordinates and the time. Then you get yourself dressed and portal over to find Beth.

You let the Smith family know what the plan was. Morty and Summer were excited to get to meet people who had known you for so long, as well as being able to hear you sing again. Beth started to blush and was on the verge of backing out. Summer grabbed her arm and informed you that she would be responsible for dolling her up and making sure she was one 'fine ass sexy mother' for the event. Beth blushed harder and chided Summer. You knew that this was the best thing. You wanted to family to see Beth let loose and be herself; not crazy and cooped up in this house. As Summer and Beth go upstairs to talk about makeup and the type of outfits to try on, Morty walks over to you. He leans in against you and smiles.

"You know… you've had such a _huge_ positive impact on this family. I haven't seen Summer and Mom get along this well in a long time. Summer is actually talking to Mom instead of texting friends all the time. And they stayed up all night watching a marathon of romantic comedies. Mom has been laughing and asking me if I need help with my homework. And Rick is actually complimenting me on occasion. Still, once a month is better than once a year right?" Morty chuckles and hugs you.

"Thanks little man. That means a lot to me. You guys will also get the chance to meet Scar Rick."

" _Scar_ Rick? Is that because he has scars?"

"Yes smartass. I had to come up with a nickname fast alright? Anyway, he is the one who helped save me from my other version and the one who has been trying to save others. He's a good guy. Never met your grandma, so never had kids. I think it would be good for him to meet you."

"He never met grandma? Wow."

"Yeah. You think you can tell the others?"

"I think mom would like to be able to meet him. I think she needs to hear from another Rick how he regrets not having kids. Rick is not really one to express feelings with his own daughter. And mom takes after him. Maybe this would be a good thing…"

"Thanks Morty. Remember, tomorrow night."

"I'll be there with bells on…"

"What? Why would you wear bells?" You look at him confused as he laughs and rolls his eyes.


	47. Chapter 47

Chapter 47

The Gang

The bar you choose had a lot of standing room, a nice stage with amazing acoustics, tables built in to the sides and a full bar. The price for the evening wasn't bad either. No one who worked in that bar would be there this night. Your guys had their own bartender and why eat food when there was booze? You arrived early with Morty to set up the sound equipment and make the payment for the rental. After assuring the owner that you would cover all liquor costs and any potential damage, you watch as he walks out shaking his head. _Why does it feel like he's expecting us to destroy the whole place?_ You chuckle and head over to Morty. He was finishing the setup as you stand over him, observing his handiwork. He had come a long way. It felt like ages ago that you taught him how to set up and dissemble the sound equipment.

"Done. Did I do a good job?" Morty asks while dusting off his pants.

"Yep. I'm proud boy…" You give him a big hug and tell him to go clean up. A portal is created for Morty as you stand in the bar alone. You take a deep breath and speculate on what could possibly happen.

You know that the original four would be there tonight. Mack, the leader and main reason you stayed so long with the gang. He was a sight to behold. Tall and largely muscled, Mack filled a doorway and instantly intimidated any who met him on the battlefield. He came from an old race that he never talked about. Along his body were markings in a silver white, outlined by a thick black band. He had told you they were the markings of his race, but you could never find any reference to them. Mack loved teasing you; would offer up wages to anyone in the gang who could get you to blush the hardest. Everything in you screamed that Rick would get along too well with him. You hoped he would.

Torren was the father figure in the group. You smile warmly while remembering him. He was a large built man as well, but held a head full of silver hair and a long silver beard. Torren was a married man who had six children of all ages. He had a daughter who was the same age as you; that's why he adopted you. That was also the origin of your nickname among the gang; baby girl. Torren was always there to chide the gang for teasing you too much or not listening to your needs. He would lecture you that a young woman such as yourself should not be involved with guys like them, and especially in war. But he accepted you and sheltered you when you needed it. He could also play any instrument upon first try, making him the perfect person to sing with. There were many nights that the two of you would perform for the gang; especially after the hard battles.

Groff was the firmest of the four. You remember his scruffy, war-scarred appearance the most. He always reminded you of earth's grizzly bear; looked rough around the edges but you still wanted to cuddle him. He didn't say too much, but when he did it was the most intelligent quotable statements or the soundest advice you had ever heard. You use to bounce intellectual ideas and question morality and consciousness off him to focus on something other than the ever-present nightmares. During the campfires, Groff was the one in the back of the group, cleaning off his weapons, reading, or watching others in the group. If you ever needed to know the character of an individual or if they could be trusted, you would ask Groff. He was always right. He was the one who told the gang that they had to accept you the way you were. That one way or another, you would continue to fight for what you believed was the right thing and for the innocent lives. Once the gang discovered that he was right, they adopted you into the fold.

Last was Dean. Dean, Dean, Dean. You roll your eyes at the thought of him. He came from a race that looked as if they had an outer layer of shale skin. He was a pale grey with black eyes and spikey, grey/green hair. He was cocky as hell with a pain in the ass attitude. You two were always at each other's, throats but in a fun way. He was your brother figure… always watching out to make sure no one got too flirty; you _were_ married. If you needed to laugh or get angry and vent at someone, he was your man. He had this uncanny ability to know which personality to switch to depending on the situation or the person. He reminded you of this Rick, in a way. Rick also had the ability to make you laugh when you needed it.

Weighing in all the personalities, and the booze, you had a good feeling about this night. All the guys should get along just fine. There should really be no problems other than the drunken outbursts that were normal for this gang. Who knows, maybe Rick would join in… From what you had been told, there were ten other additional gang members; six of which you remember towards the end of your run. That left four personalities that you didn't know, but if the group accepted them, it also meant that they could keep them under control. All in all this was shaping up to be an interesting night.

From outside, you hear the loud outbursts and cancerous laughter that could only be from the freedom fighters. You crack a smile as the first round of people walk through the doors. You are greeted with loud cursing, over the top bear hugs, and yelling about how long it has been. The first four people contained two you knew. One guy takes up residence behind the bar and starts serving drinks. More trickle in, greet you, get a drink and start talking about 'old times'. Turning around, you turn on the music and jump off stage to join the group. Soon the Smith family appears with Rick. They take up a booth to the side. Scar Rick comes in next and you lead him to the booth.

"Alright Smith family, this is Scar Rick. No comments on the nick name… I know." You get smiles from everyone. You point to each person to introduce. "This is Beth, Rick's daughter. These are her kids, Summer and Morty. They already know that you never met Diane, Rick's ex-wife."

"Ex is right…" Rick grumbles. Beth smacks him on the shoulder and he apologizes. "I mean, she was such a wonderful… soul…" Beth just rolls her eyes and Scar Rick chuckles. Everyone greets him as he sits down next to Beth.

"So your Rick's daughter? It's amazing to meet you. I have heard a lot of great things from Tess."

"Thank you. We have really grown to love Tess." She looks at you and winks. You notice that Summer really did an amazing job with Beth tonight. Her blond hair was pulled up half way with curls cascading down. Her makeup was enough to feature her eyes with natural hues. The shirt was low cut enough to gain attention and was a beautiful shade of blue.

"I really wish I could have had kids… It's funny. I came for a really fucked up family but always wanted to raise a child of my own; do things right. I knew how a father should act. Not…" He looks at Rick. "Sorry Rick. I know it's your story too…"

"Naw man. I left before you. I wasn't there for the crap you witnessed. Feel free to share that." Rick put his arm around Beth and she leans against him, smiling.

"My dad was an abusive alcoholic Beth. I saw him… beating my mom to death and stopped him. She refused to turn him in. I went to juvenile hall. When I got out I left Earth. Then I met Kat'Rin and that has been my life. No kids. But there was always that wish. He may not tell you, but I think all Ricks wanted to raise a family. It just seems like life got in the way." Beth thanks Scar Rick for sharing and looks at her father.

"Dad? What did you feel about starting a family?"

"I wanted to. I really did. Wanted to make it work. Like he said, I thought I could do it better than my old man. But leading two lives is difficult for anyone and in the end I couldn't pull it off. Sorry baby." Rick squeezes Beth and lays a kiss on the top of her head. You see her starting to tear up, along with her children. You give Scar Rick a kiss on the cheek and walk away from the booth to give everyone some private time. Scar Rick was not allowed to leave as Beth had grabbed a hold of his arm. As you approach the main door, you hear a loud voice boom through calling for you.

"Tess? Baaaaaby Girrrrrrl? Where you at?" You smile as Torren rushes into the room.

"Torren!" You run up to him and get thrown in the air by the large man. He smiles largely as he sets you down and looks you over.

"Fuck girl. You've finally been eating, I see…" You hit him in the arm as he laughs. "No dark circles under the eyes either. Been getting enough sleep? Have a cuddle buddy?" He winks at you.

"Yes… I've got two…" you wink back as he bellows out a larger laugh.

"Blessed be the lords and ladies girl. I have missed you greatly! My daughter has been asking about you. You two really need to meet up once the dust settles. My baby girl…" He looks at you again and kisses you on both cheeks. As you start to ask about current events, Groff and Dean come walking in. You see a large smile on Torren's face as you take off to run into Groff's arms first.

"What the fuck?" Dean stops and motions to Groff. "I thought you loved me more?"

"You? Why the fuck would you think that?" You yell back while in Groff's arms.

"Because, I am one fine piece of meat waiting for the right woman to come and make me sizzle…"

"That… was… horrible…" Groff spoke silently. You giggle within his arms as he lifts you off your feet and carries you away from Dean. You can hear Dean yelling after the two of you, apologizing for such a bad pick up line. You laugh harder as Groff tells him that there is no excuse for him. As you look towards the Smith booth, you can see the group laughing at the exchange before them. Finally you are released when Dean is ushered away by Torren. "Mack needs your assistance. There are issues in the ship that require your expertise."

"Alright. Keep Dean under control please…"

"I will not be his guardian… but I will protect others from Dean being Dean." Groff gives you a smirk and you walk out of the bar and approach the freedom fighter's ship. The vessel was a medium sized freighter that was converted to hold living quarters, an arsenal of weaponry and a faster engine then most federation class fighters. The main ramp was open, and you walked up. Cursing exploded from the left of the ship and you ran to see what the issue was. Mack was on the floor, rubbing his head with a wrench in his hand.

"Thank gods. I need your tiny body." Mack grumbled out.

"Geesh, I'm not even here for one minute and you're already making passes at me."

"Get that ass over here. I need to lower you down inside this crappy ass machine and fix the power conduits under the drive shaft. None of the crew is small enough to fit and this has needed to be fixed for a while now."

"Alright… let me tuck in my shirt." Mack lifts you up and positions you over the hole. Slowly he lowers you inside and let's go when he can no longer reach. You drop to the bottom, which was only a foot away. As you get to work, you can hear Mack talking above you.

"Missed you. Sorry to hear about your _husband_. Glad to know you are alright though. It's been weird traveling to places and not seeing you already kicking ass. Don't blame you for wanting to retire though. I guess it was the only way for you two to finally act like a married couple. Hope things got better between you two. Been busy myself. I've been avoiding our dimension like the plague. Last time I was there, they were trying to pay me to locate you and drag your ass back to the fight. I told them that it doesn't work like that, but they were not going to take no for an answer. Assholes. Then a new Rick shows up… I left. Been freedom fighting in another dimension for a lot of planets that got it worse then what we saw in ours. Many of the worlds we saved, were destroyed. You know how I am… I had to help. Been there ever since." You look up and see Mack running a hand through his hair. He never talked this much. He must be nervous.

"Alright, I'm finished. Help me up please." Mack reaches down, grabs you by one arm and casually raises you out. As he sets you aside, he turns his back and starts messing with nonsense parts. You turn and look at him, confused to this strange behavior. He seemed nervous, uneasy, and unsure. "Mack? What's wrong?" You come up behind him and place a hand on his shoulder. You see his shoulders raise and fall. Out of nowhere Mack bolts up, turns around and slams you against the back wall. His body is pressed up against you but his hands are pressed in flat along the wall. He is looking down at you; his sliver eyes staring into you.

"What's wrong? You." His hands trail down the sides of the wall, grip your hips and lift you up along the wall to come face to face. The only thing supporting you against the cold metal is his body pressed tightly along yours; his hand going back to the sides of the wall. Your heart starts to race as he regards you. His eyes hold hunger as he slowly closes the distance between your lips. An old heat builds as you start a mere touch of lips. Mack growls and kisses you deeper, his tongue forcing its way inside and around yours. You instinctually raise your legs to wrap around his mid-section as he presses his groin in harder against you. He is hard with desire. "Tess… I'm sorry… I had to get you alone first. I knew I wouldn't be able to contain myself in front of everyone. Not after all these years."

"You're excused." You smile and kiss him again, your hands cradling the sides of his face.

"Did you tell them?" Mack asks after the kiss finally ends.

"Tell them what?"

"About us?" He cocks his head, looking at you. "That we become lovers?"

"I have only ever been with Ricks." You reply.

"What? Why would you say that?" Mack holds on to your hips, backs away from the wall and helps you stand.

"Say what?"

"That you have only ever been with Ricks." He frowns and crosses his arms.

"I didn't say that. I said that I have only ever been with Ricks."

"See?" He yells out. "You said it again! Do you not hear yourself?"

"I don't know what you are talking about Mack. I am clearly not saying what you are hearing."

"Well either my hearing is fucked up or you are… Let's try this, write down what you think you are saying."

"Fine…" You roll your eyes but a part of you is concerned. Why would he be hearing something different? You grab a piece of the technical manual and write out the sentence you thought you were saying.

 _I have only ever slept with Mack and Ricks._

"Yeah girl… that's not what you are saying. I hear 'I have only ever slept with Ricks' and not this." You look at Mack and slowly back away from him. You look back at the sentence and see his name. You see his name and the world goes black.


	48. Chapter 48

Chapter 48

Visions from the Past

*39 years ago, Planet unknown* (part one)

The bombs explode off to the left as you break away from your crew and dash to the right. The small child in your arms is screaming and clawing at your chest. You try to say comforting words, but your voice is drowned out by the chaos circling around you. A land mine explodes in front of you as you go flying in the air. Your grip on the small child releases and you see him roll off to the side. As you start to sit up, you notice the ringing in your ears has slowed and the sound returns. Your vision clears as you see the young boy take off towards the building nearby. Time slows as the only thing you hear is your own heartbeat, thumping fast within your chest. You watch in horror, expecting the boy to run across a land mine and be blown away. Relief crashes in as the boy makes it to the building and darts inside. Then you panic again as you see the building take heavy fire from above; the top two stories catching on fire.

You curse loudly and rush in after the boy. Small sneakers can be seen stomping up the stairway and you follow quickly. The boy runs into an apartment and through a bedroom door. You see posters of spaceships along the wall and stuffed animals surrounding around the floor. This must be his room… As you take a deep breath, you slowly lower yourself to the floor and see him hiding under his bed.

"Hey there little man…" You speak this in his native language. "I know you must be scared. But your parents are not here and I need to take you to where they might be. They would be so worried if they knew you returned to your room. It's not safe here…"

"Mama… Dada…" you hear from the small voice. The young boy pokes his head out from under his bed. You give him a smile and take a deep breath. Then you smell the smoke. As you look upward, you can see the black fog starting to fall across the room. The fire must be spreading faster…

"Give me your hand please." You say in a soft voice. "Let's find your parents…" The boy reaches out to you as you hear a large crack from above. You yank the boy out and pull him underneath you as you move above him on all fours and duck your head down above his. A second later, a beam falls and crushes on the bed and rolls onto your back. A groan escapes instead of the scream that is trying to escape. To scream would scare the boy more then he already was. "It's alright. It's alright. I am going to look above me and see what is going on." You are able to speak slowly even though you feel a sharp pain coursing across your back.

Looking up, you see the large beam laying across your back. The upper part is still against the smashed bed frame and the lower part is trapped in the hole it created through the floor. As you try to move your back upward, the beam begins to roll to its side against the bed frame, creating more weight against your back. The beam wanted to fall off of you and continue down the hole. Unfortunately that would mean a possible broken spine and a crushed child. You take a deep breath and hold your position. As you look back down at the boy, you see him look up at you, tears streaming from his eyes. You were able to give him a smile and remain calm.

"Alright. I have a lot of friends. Do you have a lot of friend?"

"Uh huh." He replies, the tears slowing. "I have two friends."

"Wow. My friends love me. They worry like your parents would worry about you. They know I came in here. So of course they will be here soon to help out. Until then we are going to hang out together and chat alright?" You force another smile and he smiles back. You choke back the fear that your team did not see you rush into the building. You choke down the panic.

"What's that smell?"

"It's smoke. See, there is a large fire above us. When things burn, it creates smoke. We are safer down here on the ground. There might be things that fall from the ceiling as well and that is why I am on top of you like this. I want to protect you and make sure you make it back to your parents. Is that alright?"

"Yeah…" He starts coughing and your heart drops. This may all be for naught if he dies of smoke inhalation.

Your mind races with statistics centered on the damage of smoke inhalation and how long between passing out and dying. You ask the boy to stay awake as long as he could and to tell you about his school, his parents, anything. The boy was able to comply for longer then you thought. It wasn't until the smoke lowered around your body that the coughing took over. Soon he passed out. You could feel the sting within your lungs, but your healing would kick in, clear it out and you would have to go through the whole process again. At least you wouldn't pass out. That would mean his death… You close your eyes and start to hear the first screams from the people trapped above you; they were burning to death. Thank goodness the boy had passed out.

You cry silent tears as you listen to the screams slowly fade away either from passing out or death. Once the screams died out, the roar of the fire and the crackling of the wood started to spread throughout the room. Thankfully you were not yet on fire, and the steady rise and fall of the young boys chest gave you hope. What awaited you next was heart wrenching. The smell. Burning flesh. All around. Tears fell from your eyes and your heart sped up, panic finally setting in. Your stomach reacted to the smell of something cooking as you screamed silent curses in horror. Back and legs were starting to shake. The pain was consuming you. The rise and fall of that chest came slower with each pass… You scream out.

Two men crashed through the room, lifting the beam off of you. One grabs a hold of you and the other grabs a hold of the boy. Soon you are outside and each breath tastes sweeter than before. Your healing sets in as you stand on your own feet, rushing over to the little boy laying on the ground. There are several medics around him, each tending to different areas of need. You see the steady rise and fall as you collapse onto the ground. Familiar arms circle you from behind as you hear Dean.

"He's safe. He'll live. Fuck… fuck… don't you ever fucking do that again baby girl. We… I… fuck…" You can hear his voice cracking; he was crying. Eyes slowly close as your body finally drifts off to recover through sleep.

You wake up in your own tent with Torren sitting behind you, stroking your hair. The motion was so simple yet so comforting. As you look upwards, he gives you a warm smile.

"You've been recovering. Its night now and most of the guys are eating and drinking around the fire. The boy is safe with his family. You did it. I wanted to be here when you woke." He kisses the top of your head and gets up. "Love you baby girl…" Torren walks out of the tent.

Left alone, you turn to your side and retrieve the personal communications device from under your bed. You needed to talk to Rick. After everything today, you just needed to hear his voice and release. The tears are already threatening to come. The seven digit code is punched in and the tone for connection is heard. A woman with dark red hair in a ponytail answers the call.

"Yes? This is a personal communications device under the ownership of Dr. Sanchez. How is this?" Her voice was snooty.

"I am Mrs. Sanchez. I need to talk to him ASAP."

"Oh. Well you can't." She crosses her arms and glares at you.

"Why? I need to talk to him. Please." You can see her warm up a little to the please.

"I'm sorry. Really. He told me not to let anyone interrupt him…" She looks uncomfortable as she finishes… "Especially his wife."

"He said that?" You reply back, numb.

"Yes. Sorry again." And with that she closes the device. You can see your reflection off the black screen. Are you shaking?

You throw the device across the room, breaking it into two pieces. Sneaking out of your tent, you absently follow the hidden route to Mack's tent. The back of the tent opens up enough for you to crawl through. Mack turns around as you stand up. He rushes over to you, worry on his face. You can't hear his words. All you can hear is that snooty red head woman saying 'especially his wife' over and over. Mack grabs your face and you snap back into reality as you hear him yelling, trying to get your attention.

"I'm here Mack." Your own voice sounds rough.

"What the fuck is going on?"

"She said, 'especially his wife' Mack. That's what he told her to say. 'Especially his wife'. I needed to talk to him. I needed to tell him. About the pain, and the smoke, and the screams, and the smells, and the hunger… gods, the hunger and the horror… gods… Mack… I can't think of anything else. Please… help me?" Tears fall down as your legs give out. Mack supports you with his arms as he takes you and lays you across his bed. You look up into his eyes and see compassion and worry.

"Need me to replace that memory?"

"How?"

Mack leans in against you and lays his lips along yours. The kiss is gentle and gives you something to focus on. You had never laid lips against his; in all the times you two messed around. Nights of exploration invade your memory now, swirling around as you give way and open your mouth to his. Mack groans into the kiss, his hand wrapping behind you, pulling you against his chest. You lay your hands along this naked chest, tracing the edges of muscles as you allow his tongue to explore. His chest feels on fire as he lifts your shirt up to lay his flesh against yours. You didn't realize just how cold you felt.

"Gods Tess… I want you… Just tell me no. We can, we can do other things. I know you want to be faithful…" Mack looks into your eyes as an anger washes over you.

"Fuck him. Faithful? Faithful is keeping a promise to be there whenever you are needed. To answer a fucking call! I needed him… He… he…" Your breathing increases as you fight back more tears. Mack lifts your face.

"Give me permission. No one has to know. No one."

"Mack… please… replace these memories. I need you." You whisper quietly with your eyes closed. When no response is given, you open your eyes and look at him. "Take me." At this he gently presses him for a simple kiss.

"As my queen so desires…"


	49. Chapter 49

*39 years ago, Planet unknown*

You stare up at Mack with certain eyes. Up until now, there has been no penetration in your games with each other. What started out as a simple 'lesson' turned into more as the nights went on. No one in the group knew what you two did after they fell asleep; most of the team were busy doing similar things with the other women in the groups. Mack had opened up a new world to you, showing you the pleasures that could be had through touch alone. One night, you invited him to help you and that progressed things to the next level. You came to crave these private sessions with him. Exploring now with touch and taste. But tonight would be a point of no return, once again, for you. Mack was different from Rick. Rick stoked the fire within and Mack became the passion you craved to chase away the horrors seen on the field. Horrors like the one you just went through.

"You're mine now…" Mack's voice almost felt like a growl as he lowered himself along your body, ripping at the pants and yanking them off in one move. You forgot how strong he was as you hear the fabric give way and rip in his grasp. He then grips your inner thighs and pushes them open. As he dives down, you raise your crotch to meet him. Tongue dives in first as you gasp in pleasure; this was your typical play during the nights. But of course, this was only the start. Tonight, Mack licks up to suck on your tip, diving two fingers within to push hard against your spot. The other hand reaches upwards to find a sensitive nipple and pinch hard, releasing a whimper from you. Mack knew this body now. He knew what got you going so late in the evening, and he used all knowledge tonight.

Your body starts to react to his pushing, sucking and squeezing by closing in on his work. Mack removes his fingers and raises up to stare at you. He places both fingers in his mouth and growls as he slowly pulls them out. His eyes start to glow in their silver color; a true sign for his race that he was fully aroused. You had learned that scent and taste were the most seductive experiences for his kind; that they identified their mates by these. That low growl echoes within his chest as he lowers a hand to stroke along his length. You look downward, instantly aroused at the sight of him. He was longer and thicker; it took two of your hands to wrap around the length of him while jerking him off. The memory of that tip within your mouth starts to pull you towards him as he leans backward to allow you access. You grab him, pulling his length up to your mouth to return the favor and envelop him within to suck hard, your tongue tracing the outline. You watch as his back arches and he begs you for more pressure.

Two hands push him backward as you reposition yourself to fully control his experience. One hand reaches down to his sack to grip and twist in the method he taught you. His hips raise up suddenly, thrusting his length further into your mouth as you suck with a greater intensity. Mack curses above you, telling you that if you didn't fucking stop, the night would come to an end before he had the chance to fuck you proper. With a chuckle, you back away and shoot him a sly look.

"Oh, poor baby… And here I thought you _wanted_ me to do this. After all, you are the one who taught me…" You coo out in a sing song voice. While talking, you slowly crawl up the length of his body, never breaking eye contact. Mack is breathing shallower as his hands wrap around your waist.

"Fuck… I regret my decision…" he whispered.

"You do?" You question back, running a tongue along his chest. A sharp inhale from him is his answer.

Mack growls again and pulls your body the rest of the way up place you along his mouth. Your hands lay flat along the metal tent wall as you raise up on your knees, his tongue darting out and across you. Both hands claw into your ass as you scream out and start rocking your body. You hear Mack encourage the movement as he assists with his grip. Your head falls back as you gasp in time with the movement and him. Then he grips your hips again, tosses you backward on the bed and jumps on top of you.

"No more… games…" His eyes are intense. He reaches down to grab himself and slowly move his tip along the outside of your walls. Eyes are starring into yours as he speeds up the movement, causing you to buck. As your hips raise, he presses himself along your opening and pushes in gently. The girth of him excites you, and this is just his tip. You beg him to enter. His eyes become hesitant.

"Mack… I want you." You whisper up at him. He leans down to kiss you slowly.

"Please… please let me know if I hurt you. Gods… I don't want to scare you… I… please…" You can tell from that plea that there have been issues with other lovers in the past. Both hands hold his face as you smile.

"Promise. Now don't make me wait any longer lover."

Mack smiles, nods his head and starts to push into you. Once the tip is safely within, you arch and scream in pleasure as the girth and length stretch you. You beg for more, for him to push harder, for him to take you; and he answers. Another growl vibrates along your body as he pushes in to his entirety. You scream and dig in your nails along his back. He groans in return and starts the slow movement back and forth as you loosen up down below. Each thrust within fills you, knocking along the back and pulling out to rub along your spot, causing lightning to spark along every nerve. Without realizing it, you wrap your legs around him and arch your hips upward. Entry is smoother at this angle and you are rewarded with an increase in speed and momentum. Your breathing comes quicker as you hear Mack yell out and look down at you.

"You wanna… ride… me?" He gets out between thrusts.

"Oh gods please…"

Mack exits and helps you sit up. Another kiss is given as his fingers stroke along your tip. You lean into his play as you push him along the bed. Your hips grind against his hand as you hear a gruff laugh.

"Fuck, I love when you do this…"

"What exactly? Remember our deal?" Which was to always talk, listen, ask and answer.

"When you grind against me, encouraging the motions… when you take control of me."

"What?" You laugh at first. "Has no other woman done that?" Then you stop laughing at his serious look.

"No. They are afraid of me."

You stare into his eyes, shocked. Now was not the time to find out why, so you focused on another way to answer him. You straddle his legs below his hips. He pulls a pillow under his head to watch you and smiles. Slowly you run your hips along his length and back down, not yet entering. His eyes close at the motion and you continue a couple more times. After that, it is your body begging to slide him within. You raise up on your heels and grab him. Mack helps by positioning himself and holding it still while you slowly lower yourself along him. This position wracks your body. The full length within you while sitting was almost too much. You automatically move around on top of him, grinding against his crotch and feeling his length react to the small movements. Mack had closed his eyes, his fingers have a death grip along your hips. A beg for more movement comes from his lips as he starts moving you himself. His hips raise and lower while you pause and savor the feeling within. A gasp escapes and Mack darts his eyes open. A hand grabs the back of your hair and yanks you down to his lips. The other hand grips your ass tightly and forces you to move along his length. You moan into his mouth and assist with the motions. Back and forth builds a heat that causes the two of you to groan in unison.

At one point you sit up again and bring your feet along the sides of his hips. You use your legs to lift and crash back down the length of him. He yells out and grabs your breasts to squeeze while you move. Your breath is coming faster as the inner walls start to pulse. You inform him that you are about to cum and he barks for you to get off. After you stand, Mack sits up and grabs your ass with both hands, forcing it to his eager mouth. With fingers and mouth, he brings you to a full orgasm. His strength keeps you upright as your legs give way to the sensations. As your body slows, Mack chuckles darkly and lays you down along the bed.

"Fuck girl. If you are to cum along my dick… that will be the end of our night."

"Then what do you have planned next?"

Mack smiles and turns you over on the bed. In your mind, in your dreams, you have envisioned this night before. Mack taking what was his from every possible angle. This, was a favorite thought. He lifts your hips upward and spreads your cheeks. You can feel his hot tip rub along you again. A little play along the ass from top to bottom and then he pushes himself within. You are still tight from the orgasm and he growls out again.

"Fuck girl… You're so tight… Gods, why did we wait?"

You answer by begging for movement. He is definitely one to please as he speeds up the motion to push all the way in. Once inside, he thrusts just enough to slam into the back of you again and again, driving another orgasm to build. Mack can feel the reverberations start and this time answers by pulling you up off the bed and along his body. The movement stretches you more and the feeling sends shivers along your body. Mack yells and he pushes you down against him. One hand reaches down to rub in circles along your tip. Both of your hands are drawn up to Mack's head as he bites your neck. You feel teeth dig into your skin and see the dark blue blood run in a small trail along your breast, downward. There is no pain though as he growls again against you. More tingles race along your nerves as his finger below speeds up the motion. You run a hand along his arms to see his markings start to glow a soft white. Another growl as the thrusting speeds up and the bite goes deeper. More blood spills and his hand below grabs the breast covered in it. He squeezes and flicks at the nipple as you arch your back and feel the wave take you over. The tightness from below creates a scream from you both as you grind against him. He pushes you back down along the bed and you catch yourself with your hands. You push yourself back along his length and buck as the second wave takes you. His fingers grip your hips as he slams into you several times and then releases within.

His breathing starts to slow and when he pulls out, creating a final wave to crash over you. Your head rises up as your whole body tenses suddenly and then relaxes with a cascade of pleasure spilling out of your skin. You fall on your stomach as Mack lays against the side of you, stroking your hair. When your breathing slows, he turns you around. Silver eyes are still glowing as he keeps your gaze and laps up the blood along your body. You watch as he playfully bites and then returns to your neck. The bite mark is starting to ache and you let him know. Mack leaves the room and returns with a salve to rub along it, helping dull the pain while your healing takes over.

"Fuck. That was amazing. No one. No one has let me bite them without horror in their eyes. Thank you. You have no clue. You have no idea what that means… I needed that…fuck." Mack kisses you again and you can taste the metallic taste of your own blood.

"That was primal, lover. Your race?"

"Yeah. Usually only during mating season. Could be now, who knows? But…" He looks into your eyes and then shakes his head. "Never mind."

"No. Uh uh. You made a promise to tell me everything. So spill." You trace his jaw as you speak.

"You still desire me?"

"Of course."

"Then this may happen again?" He asks silently.

"Yes." You knew you would not be able to stop now. This was what you needed. What Rick created in you. A passion, a desire to be wanted; no, the desire to be needed by someone.

"Good. I have been away from my people for over a hundred years. I have not found a lover like you. One that makes me react like a woman from my people. You spark the… Chanta… it's hard to explain…"

"You mean when your eyes and markings glowed?"

"My markings?"

"Yeah. Didn't you notice?"

"Had my eyes focused on other things… like your blood as it ran along your nipple…" Mack's eyes start to glow again and you feel him getting stiff below. A growl forms deep within as he spreads open your legs and positions himself on top and in between. He is lost in his sensations and you comply by raising your hips to him. Mack looks down and groans, pushing himself within again. You arch your back at his return and beg him to cum as fast as he can. An evil grin spreads across his face as he complies.

His speed is quick and along with his strength, all you had to do was close your eyes and focus on the pleasure. He supported your weight, he moved your body to his needs, he controlled you and you were happy to let him. Again, when he was close to the end, his markings glowed; this time brighter than before. He is yelling out words in his native language and you scream as another wave of pleasure rides along each thrust. As you cum, so does he.

"Fuck. Alright. Where was I?" He says between gasps for air.

"They glowed again, but brighter."

"No… no, no, no." Mack lays down on top of you, his head along your stomach. "Not with you. You're already married… I can't…"

"Mack…"

"It's a mating thing. My Chanta has chosen you." Mack chuckles. "My Chanta has never found anyone worthy. And now to find someone so young, and _so_ married. Fuck."

"What does this mean?" Mack raises up to look at you.

"That I love you. To my core. Actually fell for you a while ago… but now… If that asshole you call a husband ever fucks up to the point where I can kill him… then…" He starts to stare off again.

"Mack? Why do I feel like you don't really want to tell me everything?"

"Because, my mate, I can't. Not with you married. But I can do something else…" Mack holds your face and looks at you, his eyes glowing. He speaks to you in his native language. You feel pinpricks form along your body at each word. Power builds behind each sentence. By the end, a wave of pleasure racks your body and he chuckles darkly. "By the gods, so shall it be."


	50. Chapter 50

Chapter 50

Evolving

Head is pounding. Memories are being played back at lightning fast speed. Things you _thought_ had occurred, had been twisted. Old memories take over and your vision swirls. Once all has been restored, you blink to see Scar Rick and Mack standing over you, talking about something. You hear Kat'Rin's name and shake your head.

"Boys… boys, I'm alright." You struggle to stand up as Scar Rick helps lift you off the floor and sits you in a chair. Rick comes running in demanding to know what happened. He yells about how he felt panic and then nothing. Scar Rick and Mack let him know about the sentence both spoken and written. When it comes to you blacking out, you were shocked to learn you were out for a mere five minutes… it felt like a lifetime.

"Still here guys… I would love to have some speculations as to what just happened. Please?" You ask while rubbing your temples.

"You may not like it…" Scar Rick starts out. You shoot him a dirty look and he starts. "I've been talking to Mack. Your bond may have mixed with his natural abilities to create a loophole for you to get your needs met without compromising your morals."

"Huh? I need simple please… my head is killing me."

"Ok. You needed someone during those nights after fighting. You did not have access to your husband and you also did not want to cheat on him. So after a particular night, a simple 'promise not to tell anyone' or 'let's keep this a secret' turned into your bond manipulating things. Whenever you were pressed about sexual experiences, you simple stated 'I have only slept with Rick'. As time went on, I have a feeling your bond created other ways for you to adapt without messing with your morals."

"Yeah… Nights I thought were with Rick have now reverted to the truth. Fuck. Turns out my marriage was more fucked up then I thought. I really don't think we acted like a true married couple until we got the Earth."

"Makes sense…" Scar Rick starts.

"Alright…" Rick interferes, "so what memories are you talking about? How can you be sure? Maybe this is _Mack_ trying to manipulate you…"

"Hey, fuck you! You know nothing!" Mack growls.

"Yeah, you're right motherfucker… I know nothing about _you_!" Rick yells back.

"Enough!" You yell. Both look to you. "I _know_ , alright. I just know. They _are_ my memories. There were things done with Mack that I _thought_ were done with my husband. On Earth I would do these same things and… he didn't like them. Seemed surprised by some. It never made sense until now. This way I could convince myself that some of the more memorable nights were with my husband. Fuck. I never really had any 'nights' with my husband during the non-war times. I remember now that he usually spent those days recreating the infrastructures of the societies we saved. Why did he keep pushing me away?" You whisper the last question to yourself. Rick kneels down next to you.

"Coming from a Rick… you probably scared him shitless. You were both so young when you met. Whirlwind romance. He asked for you to marry him without fully understanding what he was getting into. Then he probably freaked out and tried his hardest to get you to leave him. You know how we do things… never want things to be _our_ fault. But you didn't leave, you stayed. Probably, by the time he fully realized how important you were to him, was when you two went to Earth to retire. So, like I mentioned before… I doubt he was loyal to you. Always found it out of character when you first told me." Rick was holding on to your hand and watching your reaction. You look into his eyes and see honesty. And love.

"Yeah… it really does make sense now. We both cheated. Fuck yet again. But what does this all mean?"

"I have a theory the other Ricks and I have been talking about for some time now." Scar Rick walks to the wall near you and leans against it. "We had never thought Kat'Rin's only power was for Ricks alone. Doesn't make sense when you really think about it. One girl from light years away having the ability to manipulate and possibly control a man whom she may or may not meet? Too much of a coincidence, since there is not a Kat'Rin in every Ricks dimension. So then we refer to the original prophecy… that there was a woman who had the ability to control all men. That makes more sense. Kat'Rin fell in love with a Rick first and obviously became obsessed. You fell in love with a Rick first as well. But we can now see that you have created bonds with other men in your life."

"Wait… what do you mean by 'other men in my life'? I can only possibly agree with Mack…" You question Scar Rick.

"Lover, can't you see? The four original members? You have a unique bond with each of them… Torren is the father, Groff is the comfort, Dean is the brother and we all know what Mack is…"

"So I manipulated them to be this way? Or did they manipulate me?" Rick squeezes your hand as tears start to form.

"Lover, don't think of it like that." Scar Rick talks to you in a soothing voice. You look up at him and he smiles warmly. "Don't you see? You have a unique approach to your power. You have been alone, defending yourself for years before you met Rick. Then he comes along, sparks not only a physical desire, but a desire to be taken care of. The power becomes reciprocal. When you were left on your own again, it sought out others to help fulfil these needs. When Torren first met you, I bet he instantly thought of his own daughter. Thus your power knew he would be a perfect father figure in your life. Put this equation to each of the four. You didn't manipulate them and they did not manipulate you. They were the perfect… pardon the expression… pieces to the holes in your life. Your power manifested in a passive way, but also in a protective way. You were not aware but it was working on ways to keep you from those early feelings of…"

"Abandonment." You finish. "My biggest fear."

"Yeah. And what is Kat'Rin's biggest fear? Being hurt by a Rick. Whatever she views as being hurt, that is. I still don't know the original story but with me, she became crazy when she thought I was looking around or that I was going to leave her for someone else."

"Abandonment again. Great, I guess it runs in the genes…" In a way you felt better knowing that you were not being manipulated through the bond to become something that these men wanted. If that were true… who _would_ you be?

"Explains Morty too… not Summer and Beth though." Rick chides in.

"Morty?" You look at Rick.

"Yeah, he took to you almost too quickly… like me. But you were what he wanted… a person who came into the family, who was readily accepted, and who was willing to give him attention and love. The girls were the same way."

"Maybe because they are related to you?" Mack adds. Everyone looks at him. "What? I have good ideas too…" You look at Rick as he gives a sly smile and shakes his head.

"Fucker… shut up! I'm actually starting to like you." Rick chuckles.

"Yeah… me too. Better than that asshole of a husband…"

"We all agree Mack. We all agree."

"Stop it. He gave his life to save me… I think that redeemed him in the end." You stare at Rick.

"Better late than never I guess…" He winks at you.

"Bastard." You whisper. "Alright… so let's say that this is a power for all versions of me. Then that means that Kat'Rin has the ability to change her focus… if she ever wanted to."

"Whoa. The other Rick has been telling me about her." Mack starts talking; you interrupt him.

"Scar Rick."

"Scar Rick? Seriously?"

"Shut the fuck up alright? Again… I had little time to come up with a nickname." You rub your eyes again as you hear the others chuckle.

"Alright… the other Rick has been telling me about her." Mack gives you a shit eating grin… "I don't like her. Don't like the fact that one day she may realize that any man can be under her control. Rick, we'll help you."

"Can you keep it from her?" Rick chucks a thumb in your direction. You slap his hand away from you and shoot him an evil look. Mack bellows out a deep laugh.

"No problem. I love keeping secrets from her…" Mack winks at you.

"Hey fucker! What secret are you keeping? Huh? What the fuck?" You stand up, walk over to him and smack him against his chest. Mack fakes being hurt and laughs harder. "Glad you find this so funny. Alright, I'm done with this. Let's go get drunk."

"Let's go motherfuckers!" Rick yells out as he leaves with Scar Rick. You start to walk out when Mack grabs your hand. You turn around and walk into his arms.

"I'm sorry. This is quite a mess." Mack whispers softly into your ear.

"Not your fault at all. I'm glad you came. I'm very glad I remember…" You squeeze him tight as he wraps arms around you. He kisses the top of your head and whispers something in his language. "What do you say anyway? Those are the same words as before. Well not those other words that… um… affected me… but the ones before." Mack barks out laughing.

"Shit girl… you remember?"

"Yeah, got a full memory view during the blackout. Like going through the motions again, since I remembered them incorrectly." You look up at him. "Gods I missed you…"

"Don't start girl… You have no idea. Those words are a phrase meant to call upon the old gods to protect and serve the one we love. It's specifically meant for those we choose to be our… mates." Mack stares forward, avoiding your gaze.

"Hmmmm. I see. This was spoken before that last phrase… I remember you saying 'by the gods, so shall it be'. What were those words then?"

"Something similar. In essence." Mack is still refusing to look at you.

"Why aren't you telling me?"

"I'm afraid you'll kick my ass." A small grin curves up the left side of his lips.

"Oh, then it must be good…" You smile as you hear a dark chuckle.

"Yes baby… it is. But now is not a good time. I am from an ancient race. I can wait forever." At that he lifts your chin up and lays a simple kiss on your forehead. "By'Pallah." At this word you feel a heat surround the two of you. Mack lets out a dark growl from the pit of his stomach. When you look up, his eyes are lit. He is staring at you now, and your breath catches in your throat. "We need to return."

"Yeah." Mack breaks away from you and walks out the door. You stand still for a moment trying to figure out what just happened. That word… it meant something important to him and your bond recognized it. After a short while you hear Rick yelling from outside the ship. He's betting Mack that he could drink him under the table. You start to laugh and shake your head. Now was not the time to focus on these things. You run outside and yell back that you could drink both under the table. Rick laughs loudly and takes the bet. He slaps Mack on the back and tells him not to let his team down. Mack slaps Rick on the back as well, sending him forward a couple of steps. Rick laughs again and calls him a rather crude name. Mack replies back with another and the two walk into the bar arm in arm laughing. You stop and rub your temples. Scar Rick walks up next to you.

"You sure you wanted to introduce those two?"

"I _was_ …"


	51. Chapter 51

Chapter 51

The Brawl

You walk back into the bar and look over the chaos in front of you. People are arguing, laughing, and trying to drink each other under the table. Why did you agree to this? Mack walks back to you and winks. He tells you to leave it to him and you rejoin the Smith booth. You give them the rundown of what happened as you watch Mack usher people out of the bar who were too drunk or too rowdy. By the end of the explanation, there are only about fifteen people left. Dean comes over to the booth and motions for you to talk with him in private. As you walk to the other side, he pulls you against him and talks silently to you.

"So, um, who is that gal?"

"Wow… Dean, there are at least two in the booth and three out here on the floor."

"The blonde…" You smile.

"Beth. That's Rick's daughter. Be careful Dean. If you piss her off or hurt her you will have to answer to me." You poke him in the chest for good measure.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. You know what I have always loved about you?"

"Oh great… I really don't want to know…" You roll your eyes.

"You never flirted seriously with me." You stare at Dean as he gives you stern eyes. "I have always had women throwing themselves at me back home. I'm considered a bit of a celebrity for my looks. Main reason I wanted to leave. Too much. It's actually hard when women only want to fuck you and then leave to brag to all their friends about what they did."

"That usually happens to women Dean."

"I know. That's why I've always been different. Remember that last girl I was with? Fuck… I thought she loved me…" He rubs the back of his neck.

"She left?"

"Oh yeah, you were gone by then… Yeah she was fucking another guy from the squad. Caught them. I was a fool you know? Girls like that don't hang around squads like ours and not fight, just because they like our personalities… But anyway, I have been back and forth tonight to talk with them. Morty showed me what you taught him around weapon maintenance, that kid really listened, and Summer even dragged me around asking about different guys. And Beth… she didn't really say much but when I looked at her, she blushed. I kinda liked that. Her kids are great, so their mother must be as well right? What can you tell me? Am I out of line to flirt?"

"Wow…" A huge smile plays across your lips. Your heart speeds up with joy. "I really didn't think you… but yeah, go with it. Beth is a good woman, she has just lost contact with who she is. Currently she is going through a separation with her husband. He already moved on while she was struggling with the decision on top of trying to be a mom and reconnect with her dad. You know how that is…"

"Yeah. Went through that about fifty years ago… Glad my kids turned out alright after that bitch… no, not going to do that. Anyway, thanks for the info. I really want to get to know her. She has a great sense of humor, she has been laughing at the same things I have…"

"Dude… totally go for it. But if she gets hurt, you will regret pissing off her dad." You look over at Rick, who was currently drinking and trying to knock a shot glass off the top of Mack's head. You cock your head as you see Rick reach up on tip toes to kiss Mack. Mack busts up laughing and the shot glass falls. Everyone is cracking up while Rick jumps up with hands held high. "Then again…"

"I like him." Dean chuckles. "He suits you. In some ways; and Mack will wait his turn…" You whip your head around to stare at Dean while his hands went to cover his mouth.

"Oh no… I heard that. What the fuck are you talking about?"

"Come on… I knew. Not the others, but I knew. Okay? I encouraged it with Mack. He didn't want to continue the relationship while you were married. But after what I saw…"

"What. Did. You. See?" You push Dean up against the wall. He raises his hands.

"Dude… I saw your husband… with someone else."

"You did?" Fuck. "You didn't tell me?"

"Mack asked me not to. He said you didn't need that on top of everything else you were going through…" Dean looks guilty. You lean in against him and allow him to wrap arms around you. "Shit baby girl, sorry. Maybe I should have…"

"No. It's all in the past now. Thank you for watching out for me. I love you."

"I love you too baby girl. Now get off. You cramp my single guy vibe. Need to get my mack on… oh shit. Need to get my swagger on… yeah, that's better. Getting my mack on would be with you… yuck…" You smack him as he shakes with fake disgust. Dean leaves and you watch as he sneaks into the booth and starts talking with Beth. She is blushing and she looks beautiful. Summer and Morty quietly leave and join in the gang near the stage. Morty comes up and drags you up with Torren. The two of you break out in some old songs you used to sing around the campfires at night.

About three songs later a table goes flying across the room to collide with another soldier. This guy you didn't know. He takes off towards the thrower as 'fight' is called out by Summer. Torren jumps down from the stage, cursing how he is too old for this shit. You smile and jump off with him. What you saw did not make things easier… Rick was the one who threw the table. He is cursing and yelling at the man who had an intimate meeting with the furniture. Mack steps in front of Rick, yelling at the guy too. Torren is beside you and holds you back. He exclaims that this guy has been talking crap about Mack for a while now. He had wanted to take over the group and has not been silent about it. You look back and pay attention to the words Rick is saying. He is stepping up for Mack, protecting him against things the other had said. Rick was trying to start a fight. The other guy is yelling false claims to the room, telling people that Mack has become soft. You look at Torren and he shakes his head.

"Nope. He hasn't. It's because that guy wanted Mack to leave a small village unprotected to run off and save a village that had more… wealth." Torren speaks in a quiet voice as you shake your head.

"Well, there's going to be a fight soon."

"You know Mack doesn't like to display his power." Torren looks back to you as you are motioning for the kids to take cover. You look over to see Dean escort Beth to the other booth. An upturned table provides you with cover as you motion for Torren to join you. "What are you doing? I just told you Mack is not going to fight."

"Torren, he's with Rick. There _will_ be a fight." Torren looks at you again, looks back to the scene unfolding and joins you behind the table.

"Fuck."

"Yep… fuck."

The yelling gets louder as you identify Rick spewing out all sorts of curses. Then the weapons discharge. You hear Rick curse loudly and scream in anticipation of being able to fight someone for once. More fire explodes off walls and tables. You peek out from behind the table to see Mack grab the weapons away from both guys. Rick easily relinquishes his and then swoops in from behind to leg sweep the guy to the ground. Mack then grabs the fallen man's head and lifts him two feet into the air. The guy has his hands on Mack's wrists but is unable to get himself loose. Rick yells in excitement at the idea of a humanoid piñata. Mack chuckles back and asks Rick what he thought would fall out. Rick replies that it would be nothing good considering the man was full of shit anyway. You lower your head, close your eyes and take a deep breath.

You spend a good amount of time sitting with your back against the fallen table, your eyes closed, trying to ignore everything going on right now. You can hear that Mack threw the guy and of course he came back to fight both of them. Between Rick's yelling curse words and stupid catch phrases and Mack's belly laughter, you could pretty much guess that they were embarrassing the other pretty badly. Torren looks to you and laughs hard.

"I gotta get in on this." Torren jumps out to join the group. You remain where you are for a while until the event is finished. When things turn quiet, you open your eyes to see Mack kneeling down in front of you. He has a huge smile on his face and is holding out a glass of whisky for you. You take it and down it, giving him a grin back.

"I like him. A lot. Poor you." Mack lets out a large bark of a laugh. You stand up and go behind the bar to start pouring more whisky for yourself. Rick stumbles up to the bar, laying across the top.

"Hey sexy… gotta… gotta… glass for… whisky… for me?" His speech is highly slurred. You smile and lean across the bar, your top showing off cleavage. His eyes travel downward as you feel his heat practically attack you. You chuckle.

"Whisky? That's all you want babe?" You shake your chest as he watches, licking his lips. Then he falls off the bar and onto the floor, passed out. You roll your eyes. Mack comes up next, picks up Rick and swings him over his shoulder.

"Got to take care of my new buddy here… I'll take him back to the ship to sleep it off. Thinking of taking all his clothes off too… just to make things interesting." Mack chuckles and walks off with Rick.

"What do you want Scar Rick?" He was further along the bar, his head down. A mumble is all you hear in return. He was out too.

You take out your portal gun and help Morty and Summer return home. You let them know not to worry about their mom for tonight. Summer winks at you as Morty gives a big smile. It was best that Rick got totally shitfaced before he saw Beth making out with Dean. Torren was dragging guys off to the ship to sleep it off as Groff joins you in silently cleaning up the mess.

"Decided not to get drunk tonight?" Groff says after an hour of cleaning.

"Nope."

"Too many people to take care of huh?"

"Yep."

"Good to see that change in you." He comes over to you and kisses the top of your head. You smile and retreat to find Mack within the ship. When you get to the room he was in, you slowly shake your head as he asks for help getting Scar Rick undressed and in bed with Rick. Yep, Mack was drunk. Silently you shake your head no and he gives you a frown. You take his hand and lead him back to his room. As he falls on the bed, you hear a loud snore. You return to the main bridge and fall asleep at the captain's chair, away from the snoring.


	52. Chapter 52

Chapter 52

WTF?

(So, my best friend is going to be doing a story that coincides with mine. This is an introduction to her character, Kris, and how Tess... meets her. She will be creating her own story that will share her side of the Brawl chapter and this chapter. Kris will be helping out in my story so when I may take off in one direction for a fight scene, Kris may be taking another side. Two points of view! I'll let you guys know her name when she comes online)

Rubbing your eyes, you walk into the bar and survey the damage. All in all, things looked good. People were removed, tables placed back where they were, and everything cleaned up. Groff did a great job finishing up where you left off. You meet with the owner, pay the rest of the fee for the booze replacement and went off to find Scar Rick; and thank Groff. As you entered the ship, you first decide to check on Rick and Mack. Rick was snoring loudly, and naked on the bed. Mack was pretty much in the same state, but clothed. You roll your eyes and head off towards the main barracks. Near the middle of the ship was a central hub that housed the superior equipment for battles, lockers with specialized gear and a table for specs. From this room was a main hall and four sliding main doors which connected to the barracks. There were also four main rooms for Torren, Mack, Dean and Groff. Mack was in his, Rick was taking up Torren's space and you could guess Dean and Beth were in his. Torren had told you that he was going to stay the night in the barracks with the rest of the guys to make sure that more fights did not break out.

You guessed that Groff would place Scar Rick within the barracks and decided to look there first. You did not, however, expect to walk in on two soldiers having a particularly fun time with each other. Upon rounding the corner from the main hall, you see an athletically built brunette bouncing on top of another well-muscled soldier who was laying across the table. Your eyes widen as you notice the particularly globe shaped breasts as they bounced with each movement. A hand went protectively to your own, sympathizing with the pain associated with such vigorous bouncing. You cock your head, noticing the woman's eyes were closed and her lips were half parted, whispering out encouragement to her lover. Shaking your head, you whip back around the corner and lean against the wall. Shock coursed through your body at having walked in on two people in such an intimate moment. Shock and a slight arousal… You blink a couple of times and decide to check in Groff's quarters to see if maybe Scar Rick was in there.

Scar Rick was not in Groff's quarters, but it bought a good fifteen minutes for the couple taking over the main hub. You round the corner once again and encounter a large ass facing your direction. Fuck. For sure, a man's ass. Not only his ass, but his balls slamming with full force into his lover, who was now on hands and knees across the table. You can hear her moan and cry with each forced entry and you roll your eyes, retreating yet again to another part of the ship to allow them time to finish.

After finishing a nice cup of coffee from the mess hall, you return to the hub expecting things to be quite finished. Wrong again. The same couple were still at it, to your amazement. This time you watch in awe at their stamina, a bit jealous. Suddenly, the man yanks the woman off the table, her legs wrap around his midsection, and he slams her against the wall. He shoves his length within her as she screams out. He bucks wildly, grunting with each thrust. You turn around the corner again and lean against the wall. Fuck. This was intense. You didn't know if you should make some sort of noise or fake an enemy attack for the all alert buzz. You knew that the others should be up soon, and you know that you would be embarrassed if someone walking in on you having sex. _Not just sex… marathon sex_.

There was a loud moan and then cursing in the other room as you bolted around the corner to see… you recognized that voice. You knew that voice. Your face drops as you stand in mid-horror to watch Groff plow into the woman two more times before convulsing himself. The woman rakes nails across his back, leaving eight distinct trails of blood to trickle down that ass as she bucks and screams against him. You know the color in your face has left. You whip back around the corner and cover your mouth. Then you start to tear up as you keep yourself from bursting up from laughter. Groff! Your Groff! The man who would barely speak except to sound his valued opinions. The man who would lecture others about the sensitivity of your very nature and that sexual conversations should be kept away from his baby girl… And you saw him having sex. Not just sex, from the looks of it, damned good sex. You balk that you were turned on… by Groff. And now you could no longer look at him without seeing his ass and balls…

A whimper quietly escapes your lips as you steady your breathing. You really needed to find Scar Rick and get the gang back together for discussion on what to do next. You stand up and hear the two cleaning up and zipping up. As you walk around the corner again, you come face to face with the brunette who was being thoroughly fucked. Your mouth starts to open as she addresses you first.

"Well hello there, baby girl. Like what you saw?" Her voice was sweet and matter of fact. She wasn't teasing you. It was just a statement.

"Um…" You start out as you hear Groff curse loudly and run his foot into the table as he was trying to pull up his pants. Your eyes meet and he blushes instantly.

"Baby girl… this is my wife, Kris." Groff said while looking at the ground.

"Your _wife_? What the fuck Groff? When did this happen? Why didn't you tell me? You better have gotten married _before_ meeting me or so help me I will fucking kill you for not inviting me…"

"I did, I did. We've been together about fifty years or so."

"Fifty? And you're still fucking her like that?" You say in shock as Groff blushes deeper.

"Sure thing baby… And then some." Kris winks at you and walks over to Groff, wrapping her arms around him. One of the side doors slide open and Scar Rick walks out.

"Fuck, it's about time you two. Thought I was going to be stuck in that room forever. You know how many of those guys snore?" Scar Rick was massaging the back of his neck. "Could barely sleep a wink. And then I come out to that ass… At least the boobs were nice to look at. Nice rack there girl! Good to finally see what true large tits are supposed to look like while fucking."

"Here, let me help you. Been sleeping in crappy positions for too long. Got a couple of tricks to help with that…" Kris walks over to Scar Rick and starts pulling and rotating his shoulder blades. "Thanks for the compliment. Take it you've had to stare at fake ones?"

"Yeah, they just don't have the same bounce."

"Yep. Poor guy. At least you got to see…"

"Thanks. And that last position before he fucked you along the wall… that was nice. Never thought about using a table like that before. Does it help with entry?"

"Yeah, you have no idea. It really assists for longevity too." Kris continues to work on Scar Rick's neck as the two of them discuss sexual positions and experiences. Groff walks over to you, apologizes, places his hands on top of your ears and backs you out of the room. Groff continues to guide you until you are at the elevator. He shakes his head and gives a sly smile.

"As you can tell, my wife has no qualms about sex. Actually, likes it when people walk in or watch… Part of her race and powers. I've really been trying hard to make sure you never walked in. But the one time I didn't care, there you were."

"Fuck Groff. Now all I can see is your ass. You really do need to think about waxing there buddy."

"What the fuck? I don't have hair back there…"

"Lift and separate dear… lift and separate. Then apply the wax…"

"Fuck you."

"No thanks, not into sloppy seconds…"

"Bitch!"

"Fucker…"

"Yeah, I did fuck her…"

"Yeah well… fine then. You know I'm going to have nightmares, right?"

"Sorry baby girl. Sorry." Groff leans in to give you a hug.

"Uh uh. Noooooo way. I know where you've been…" You turn on your heels and walk away chuckling.


	53. Chapter 53

Chapter 53

Loose Ends

You take the elevator to the mess hall and drink another cup of coffee to try and wake up from the nightmare you just witnessed. Mack walks up next to you as you pour another cup for him.

"What's up?" Mack gives you a sideways look. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

"Close. I saw ass and balls. Groff's."

"Oh shit! It finally happened huh?" Mack starts laughing his ass off. "I have to see who won the net on that one…"

"What the fuck?"

"Oh, sorry. But everyone who has ever met Groff has a story about 'that one time they walked in on the two of them' to share. Took you long enough. You have no idea, those two fuck like bunnies in heat…" Mack laughs again and wipes away a tear.

"Yeah, laugh it up. It scarred me alright? I saw his ass. And… I was actually kinda turned on…" You cover your face as Mack laughs harder.

"Oh fuck, this is gold. Oh my gods. I am never going to let him live this down now. Please can I share that with him? Please? The fact that you got turned on will horrify him. Please?" Mack held both hands in front of him.

"Fine, but only to really get to him. Get that fucker back for the nightmares I'm going to have."

"Or the wet dreams?" You give Mack an evil look as he starts laughing again.

"What's up motherfuckers?" Rick walks into the mess hall, naked. "Anyone see where my clothes went to?"

"Oh no way man… dude, you're naked! Have you no shame?" Mack gets out between chuckles.

"Shame? Doesn't work with a Sanchez. No more shame left. Besides… no one can withstand this motherfucking awesome body of mine. Come here Tess…"

"Nope. Not going to work this morning." You slowly shake your head, taking another sip of coffee. Rick walks over to you and holds you from behind.

"What's wrong babe?"

"Walked in on Groff having sex." You pout out.

"Poor baby. Let Mack and I take your mind off that…"

"What?" You bolt upright and stare at Rick as he chuckles and Mack laughs from behind you.

"She is sooooo cute when you embarrass her…" Mack whispers to Rick while resting his chin on your shoulder.

"You have no clue. I fucking love doing this to her…" Rick winks.

"First, you pull this with Scar Rick and now you're pulling this with Mack?" You sigh with frustration.

"What? You mean you've had a threesome already?" Mack asks in shock.

"Mack, she had a Rick sandwich." Rick chuckles as you blush. "A Rickway fucking." You blush harder and close your eyes. "A DVR -double vaginal Rick…" You moan as Mack bursts into laughter.

"Fucking a! Bastard! I wanted to be the first to introduce her to a three way fucking!"

"Too bad Mack. Too bad. You know what they say? Winners keepers, losers weepers…"

"I have so much respect for you know. I thought no one would be able to talk her into it." Mack wraps his arms around you and kisses you on the cheek. You had placed your head downward and closed your eyes. It was better not to encourage them.

"I think we did a good job with that." Scar Rick added to the conversation. Kris was walking in with him.

"A good job with what?" Kris asked.

"Oh, a three way."

"Really? With whom?" She practically purred out.

"Me, Rick and Tess."

"Oh my…" She smiled and licked her lips. "Almost like having twins… a wonderful fantasy. That gets a lot of people aroused. You lucky girl." Kris winks at you as you stare in horror.

"You guys are so not discussing my love life right now are you?" You moan out.

"Looks like it, baby girl." Kris answers and turns to Scar Rick to ask about specifics. You turn to Mack to see a wide smile across his face as Rick starts laughing in full force. This brings Kris' attention back to him. "Hey, no one told me this was a clothing optional area…"

"Naw sweetheart, just me. Like what you see?" Rick walks out from the side of you and wriggles his hips. You lower your face into you hand as laughter erupts from all around.

"Oh baby, you know it." Kris' voice held a sarcastic tone and you start laughing yourself as you look up and see Rick pouting.

"Hey, it's cold in here alright?" Rick winks again and Mack lets him know where his clothes are. You shake your head again and look at Mack.

"What did I do to deserve this?"

"Nothing at all. I guess you are just blessed." Mack lays a kiss on your forehead. Kris calls out behind you…

"Why you hiding this still? Not like she's actually married anymore right? You afraid of what the team will say Mack?"

"Yes, I am." He looks at Kris as she chuckles.

"Fuck… you knew?" You call out.

"Yes, baby. I knew. I could see it, feel it, even taste it sometimes. Never understood why you kept returning to that other guy though… thought for a while that you just liked punishment. To each their own right? But you two… fuck. You impressed me." Kris smiles and joins you two in a cup of coffee.

"Wow… thanks Kris." Mack replies.

"No problem Mack. You deserve her. It's hard to find someone who accepts the real you. Especially after so many bitches… nothing I hate more then people who have sexual hang-ups and don't discuss them with their partner first." Kris takes a long drink, sets the cup down on the table and excuses herself out of the room. After she leaves, Mack looks over to you.

"I've known Groff for a long time. He first met me on my home world. Then I followed him into this life. Met Kris and knew they were meant for each other. For her to compliment you like that..."

"She gave me a compliment?" You were confused.

"Yeah. I'll explain another time. Now, you wanted to get the group together to discuss our next course of action?"

"Yeah. We need to get everyone in the same room. I'll get Dean. You grab Torren and Groff. Kris too. I know she's a good fighter, heard that from a lot of other troops back in the days."

"Alright. We'll meet back on board in the conference room in an hour." Mack pulls your chin up for a deep kiss and walks out. Scar Rick stares at you with eyebrow raised.

"Nice… want me to start teaching you about four way positions?" He wiggles his brow. You push him off his chair and walk out, hearing Scar Rick laughing as the door closes.


	54. Chapter 54

Chapter 54

Meeting

The first place you head to is Dean's room. You make sure to knock loudly and wait for the door to open. Thankfully, both were dressed and invited you in. Dean looks you over and gives you the question eyebrows.

"You alright?"

"Let's just say I met Kris."

"Oh fuck!" Dean starts laughing so hard that he grabs a hold of his stomach. Beth is looking at you and shrugs her shoulders. "You walked in on them having sex huh? Don't worry baby girl… we all have stories…" He laughs harder as Beth whispers 'I'm sorry'.

"You asshole. Someone could have warned me!"

"And miss out on this? No fucking way! Oh man, I would have loved to see your face. Did you see Groff all naked?"

"Ass and balls…"

"Damn." His tone was serious. "No one should have to see that. I take back all teasing. I am so sorry baby." Dean walks slowly to you and pulls you into his arms. He pats you on the back as you fake cry. "Hush baby. I'm here… shhhhhhh." After a minute of this you both start cracking up laughing. You look at Beth and she is laughing too and rolling her eyes.

"You two are horrible!" Beth chuckles.

"You know it baby! Tess and I go way back. I knew her when she was about twenty, right?"

"Yep." You look at Beth. "That's why they all call me 'baby girl'. Since these guys are all well past one hundred earth years old, I was going to be a baby to them no matter what."

"How old are you Dean? I don't think I asked?" Beth walks up behind him and wraps arms around him. You smile at the intimacy. Dean kisses her arm and responds.

"I am one hundred and forty-six. As of last lunar month. I'm still young for my race. The average life span is five hundred years, give or take."

"Wow." Was all Beth could say.

"Hey, Mack is three hundred and seventy-nine… At least your not with someone that old." Dean states as he kisses the back of Beth's hand.

"Mack is how old?" You ask again. You were sure Mack was only around two hundred.

"Fuck again… not supposed to tell you that either. Mack always wanted his age to be a secret. Not sure why… think it has something to do with his race… I didn't tell you. You forget that."

"Alright…" you sigh. With that conversation over with, you pull out your portal gun and fire it open for Beth. She turns to Dean and gives him one last, long kiss before turning to leave. Before going through, she asks if he will visit her when things cool down. He winks at her and promises that he will be back to spend time with her and the kids. She runs over for another kiss and then leaves. As the portal closes, Dean grabs you from behind and kisses you along the neck.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you… If I could fuck you as merely a way of saying thanks, you would be cumming for days…" You push Dean away from you and act as if you were about to throw up. Then you brush off the area he kissed, giving him a mean look.

"Ewe. Stop it. That's beyond gross. But… you like her huh? I noticed how she looked at you. Not like a thing or a hot night, but as a man…"

"Yeah. Wow. She is amazing. We have so much in common. I can't wait to visit her home. I really want this to work out."

"Did you two…"

"Yeah… oh man, yes. Wow again. But I have to tell you… that ex of hers, he must be the worst lover in bed. She was a bit wide eyed to some things I did… but thankful."

"Ok. No more. Glad you made her happy but do not need details. Anyway, we are going to be meeting in the main conference room in about thirty minutes now. Wash up." Dean salutes you and turns for the shower.

You leave the room and run into Torren. He informs you that everyone that needed to be at the meeting was notified and on their way. You thanked him and went to see if Rick was up yet. Entering the room, you see Rick coming out of the shower, drying his hair but not covering up anything else. You chuckle and close the door.

"Hey babe. How is it going? Is everyone set?"

"Yeah. Just ran into Torren. Everyone is coming, including Kris. Heard that she would be able to provide us with some valuable details and maybe a way to track down Kat'Rin using her… lust towards Ricks."

"Ohhhhh… good idea." Rick is still drying his hair but also backing you up against the bed. You fall backward, and Rick slowly crawls on top of you. When he reaches your face, he bows his head to kiss the tattoo and then along your jawline to your mouth. You relax to his kiss and welcome it. While it was great being with him and Scar Rick, you missed the private times. You kiss him back, your hands winding through his damp hair as you feel the press of him from below.

Then the door opens up and you hear Mack saying, "Rick, are you…", and then the door shuts. Rick looks at you and takes a deep breath. He rises slowly and faces Mack. You sit up on the bed, not knowing what was going to happen. Mack closes his eyes and takes a deep breath.

"Rick, can you come here please?" Mack says calmly. Rick does as he is asked and Mack backs him up against the wall. You start to inch closer to the edge when Mack barks at you to remain. He looks at Rick and places a hand on his chest, close to his throat. "Rick, you know what race I am don't you?"

"Yes. How did you know?"

"It's the way you talk to me… You understand. Few outside my culture do. I appreciate it."

"No problem." Rick talked calm as if he expected this to happen and was waiting for it.

"Then you understand what is going on right now?"

"Yep. How far did it go?"

"To the mating stage. She reacted."

"Fuck, how old?"

"Shit… I can't remember, maybe twenty-six?"

"Damn, that's a long time."

"Tell me about it. So now I have to do the thing…"

"Yeah, I get it. But this one is going to be different huh? I mean, considering who you are…" You see Rick look at Mack's white markings and back at him. Mack chuckles darkly.

"Fuck, you are smart. Then you know."

"What is going on here?" You ask silently.

"Well," Rick answers, looking around Mack to talk to you, "Mack's race use to mate for life. Since that depleted the gene pool, his species decided to kick things up a notch and allow for multiple lovers to increase the chances of getting their mates pregnant. There is only one mate, but there may be multiple lovers. If a lover gets the mate pregnant, good for them. Mate stays and looses lovers until after the kid is born. In your case, Mack never had to delegate lovers since he chose not to invoke his right as your mate. I got it so far?"

"Yeah. Leave the other shit out please." Mack was still looking towards the wall and you couldn't tell if he was looking at Rick or not.

"Figured. So, now that you are not married… you are his mate. Now he walks in on this. So, he has to put forth his dominance and either fight me or mark me as a lover." Rick looks at Mack. "Since I am way out of my league, I would like to become her lover. The Beta, if you may."

"Going for the top spot huh?" Mack chuckles.

"Fuck yeah. She was my girl first." Rick smiles but there is an evil behind the smile that Mack cocks his head at.

"I respect you Rick. I agree. But I need to mark you."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Remember, I like it rough, so if I respond, don't take it too personal." You are shaking your head wondering what the fuck Rick was referring to. You are about to ask when Mack leans down and growls low against Rick's neck. Rick closes his eyes and Mack bites his hard along the right side of his neck. Blood drips down… and Rick responds in kind. You hear Rick moan as he lays his hands flat against the wall. Mack bites down a bit harder and then backs off. Rick opens his eyes and Mack stares at him while licking the blood off the wound. You can see heat in Rick's eyes as he turns to stare at you. The bond responds in kind by sending a shock of fire coursing through your veins. Mack backs away from Rick and looks at you suddenly.

"What the fuck is that?" Mack asks.

"That heat? That's her bond with me. It's more tangible, more alive then most of her bonds. Scar Rick is able to manipulate it, control it in a way, to cause it to create pleasure for her. Mine seems to only attack her and draw her to me. Hers is like a dying man begging for water…"

"Fuck, I can almost feel it. That's strange. There is a heat… but I always thought it was just her body temperature?"

"Ha! Nope. I guess it was a constant between you two. But I get what you are saying. When I first met her, I kept thinking that she had a fever. She was in bad condition when I saved her from becoming a lawn pancake." Mack looks to Rick again.

"You saved her life?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"It places you higher in my co…" Mack pauses and Rick nods.

"I get it."

"Get what? Why are you two talking in code? And why did you bite him? And what the fuck is going on?" You yell at them, finally having enough of this.

"I bit him to remind him of his place. He will have a scar now. My marking. Brings him into the family."

"Yeah… believe me, babe, you want this to happen." Rick sits down next to you on the bed as you start cleaning off the wound to see if it needed stitches. As you clean it, you notice that the wound was already starting to heal over, forming a scar. You look at Mack.

"Part of the ritual… part of my power." Mack replied.

"Okay." You start. "What about Scar Rick? You going to mark him too?"

"You ever going to fuck just him?" Mack looks at you. "Or will there always be a third…"

"Hey…" You start to argue but Rick intervenes.

"Always will be the third. Never alone." You look at Rick as he is saying this.

"Is that why you allowed it? Because you want to make sure you are always there?" Rick gives you an evil look and winks at you.

"You got me babe. I really do not like the idea of him fucking you alone."

"Okay… what about Mack then? Not really sure you guys would want a three way… goes against… well against you two…"

"No." Mack sits down on the other side of the bed. As you look at him, you can still see Rick's blood, stained along his lips. "I will never share you." You can feel another type of heat take over. An overpowering eruption of molten rock that presses down on you. But instead of feeling scared, you feel safe and protected.

"Shit Mack… stop that already. You already make me feel inadequate with your fucking cock! Let's not play 'whose is larger' when it comes to bonds now…" Rick complains. Mack barks out a laugh in response and you feel Mack's power recede. You look at Rick and notice that, once again, he is able to defuse the situation with humor. Rick winks at you. "No baby. This mark basically means I can fuck you alone."

"Nice to know the pecking order." You lower your head and place it in your hands. "This is fucked up."

"No, it's not. Not for my people at least. And you are now a part of my people. If you still want to be able to have Rick, you need to be alright with this." Mack spoke softly to you.

"I'm alright with the logistics. It's just a weird thing to discuss out loud." Mack leans in and turns your head to kiss you.

"It's alright. Don't worry. I'll try not to interfere in your new life." You look at Mack as Rick swears behind you. "What?" Mack responds.

"You did it now… I'm going to get dressed." Rick leaves to the bathroom as you sit to fully face Mack on the bed.

"What the fuck are you talking about? Try not to interfere in your new life? Try not to… What the fuck Mack? What the hell did you think was going to happen? That I was going to come here, ask for your help and then say thanks and leave? Well?" You were yelling at Mack, poking him in the chest. You couldn't believe what he was saying.

"Oh, and what do you expect?" Mack started to yell back. "That I would just come home and share a house with the three of you? That I would walk into that family's home and just live like this on Earth?"

"No silly, I have my own place, remember? That is your new home. That is where you will go once you finish your freedom fighting gigs. That is where I will be. You will come home to me." Mack looks into your eyes. "The same with Rick. When he is done with his family and going off on adventures with Morty, he will come home to me."

"You're talking about that underground base on Zetonulous 4 right?"

"Fuck, Tess. You brought Mack there?" Rick asks from the bathroom door.

"Um. Yeah." You blush.

"Shit babe. That's… wow. You really didn't have a good marriage at that time huh?"

"No shit. Not going to back away now. I got the truth now. The whole truth. You were right; the real marriage didn't happen until Earth."

"How many years did you get?" Rick asks silently.

"Four." Both men are silent. "Alright, enough of this. Let's get going to the meeting alright? I have a feeling we are already running a bit late as it is. Are we done? You don't have to suck his cock or anything right?" Mack practically chokes as Rick responds.

"I'm game if you are…" Rick chuckles and walks out the door.

"Gods, I love that man…" Mack laughs. He looks over to you, runs a hand along your face then pulls you close for a kiss. "I love you, my mate."

"By'Pallah." You repeat back the word he had said to you the last time he told you that he loved you. Mack's eyes glow instantly as he throws you against the bed. His kiss is pure heat as he yanks down your pants and his. With your mind still a whirl from his power, you feel as he pushes within you suddenly. You gasp out and cling on to his shirt, bringing your legs up to wrap around him. He is growling deep as he play bites along your neck. Words are whispered that you don't understand as he shoves himself with in you harder. Each thrust comes faster as your breathing increases along with your wetness. Certain words cause you to tighten up and he repeats them with each thrust. Your mind is racing as you dig your fingers into his shirt and beg him to finish. Another word is pronounced directly into your ear as you buck with the first orgasm. Mack keeps pushing harder and faster until another orgasm chases after the last. Then he shoves in as far as he can and releases. The words coming from him now create a soothing effect. You lay back and stroke his hair as you steady your breathing. He exits and replaces the clothing.

"Sorry. I have never heard that word spoken to me. Thank you."

"I assume it is a term of endearment?" You whisper as he stares down at you.

"Yes. The highest."

"Then I shall say it more often. In private. Near a bed." You smile as you see Mack grin. "I love you. For a long time now."

"I know. You ready to go?" You look up at him and pull a long strand of his black hair down to twist it along your finger.

"Never leave me. I know I'm being selfish, but I need you and Rick."

"For once, you are being selfish. And like I said, Rick is my second. He will always be in your life now. He has pledged himself to you. As have I. Know that you can always choose lovers for me as well. Or at least grant me one night stands."

"You can have one night stands if you need them. But I don't want to know. I'll get jealous and want to find the girl and kill her…"

"Ha! Alright my possessive one… I accept those terms." He leans in for one last kiss as the two of you leave for the meeting.


	55. Chapter 55

Chapter 55

The Meeting?

The conference room is filled when you walk in with Mack. Rick winks at you as you blush. Mack puts a hand on Rick's shoulder and leans down to whisper something. Rick responds by cracking up laughing and knuckle bumping him. You lay your head down on the table.

"Thank you everyone for meeting. I am afraid that we will have to postpone this meeting for a bit longer. We are missing two important people right now, for obvious reasons." People around the table start to laugh as you notice that Groff and Kris were not present. "It is about lunch time, so let's break for a meal and then we can get started. I ask for everyone to go to the mess hall; those who do not yet know each other can get better acquainted."

The mess hall was located in the middle of the ship and was basically the larger cargo holding area that was repurposed with a kitchen and several tables. One wall housed an area specifically for the purpose of brewing and drinking coffee. The main cook was already hard at work taking orders and making meals. Rick walks over to you and asks if you wanted a pizza. You laugh and agree. Rick disappears through a portal. Mack and Dean join you at your table when Rick reappears with several large pizzas. Scar Rick wonders over as the three non-earthlings stare at the sight.

"What is this?" Mack asks. You pick up a slice and put it on his plate. You do the same for the other two and demonstrate how to eat it. They each take a cautionary bite and then smile.

"Pizza. One of the best things I have ever had. It's basically all food groups in one easy to eat slice. Except dessert… but there is a separate pizza for that." You wink as everyone enjoys their slices. Conversations rise up from all around the mess hall. People are laughing, retelling stories from various experiences and telling others of their sexual prowess. You shake your head as you start to hear the last, but it was a favorite topic among the soldiers.

Mack spends his time asking Scar Rick about his experiences with Kat'Rin and what he should be aware of. Dean sits up straight when he hears that there are other's from the Smith family held captive on board.

"What the fuck! You know I have to be a part of that team. I don't even want to imagine what she would do to them…" Dean looks to you as you close your eyes.

"Then don't ask." Scar Rick replies. "She leaves the Mortys alone. They are used to mask the Ricks on board so she knows not to harm them. Beths and Summers are kept in another part of the ship that we can't locate. She uses them to keep us in line. Shit, I don't even have a family and just a verbal threat will keep me in line."

"We got captives, innocent Ricks and not so innocent Ricks. Then there is Kat'Rin. Anything else?" Mack asks.

"Her beasts..." You look over to Scar Rick. "Remember those markings I saw on the old cargo holds? And the one that slashed at you?" Scar Rick grabs his side.

"Yeah, can't forget. I have no idea how many there are. While we are waiting, I'll grab a data pad and sketch out the ones I have seen." He leaves the table and exits out a door. Mack looks over to you.

"You alright? Rick, I know you wanted Tess to take a back seat on this, but I think we could really use her help in the planning and execution. I know she doesn't always make the best decisions on her own…" He gives you an evil look. "But I know she will follow my orders. Isn't that right, soldier?"

"Yes sir." You reply with a smile.

"She goes nowhere by herself. Got it? The last two times she went off all half-cocked, she got herself almost killed and captured." Rick replies to Mack but is staring you down. Mack responds with a loud bark of laughter.

"Fuck… wouldn't be Tess if she didn't do something stupid based on feelings every once in a while. But I get what you are saying. I wouldn't trust her opinion on that ship alone. So I will make sure she will not be."

"Hello? I'm right here?" You complain. Dean was the first to respond.

"You lost your right to an opinion when you went after that boy by yourself. You almost scared me to death. I couldn't find you for way too long. Remember the promise you made me." Dean shot an evil look at you from across the table. You lower your eyes and nod slowly. "This pizza is amazing, by the way. Thanks Rick."

"No problem!" Rick replies as he looks over to you.

"Dean…" Mack started, "you will be glued to Tess then. I forgot about that promise." Dean nods his head and Mack looks up to see Groff enter the mess hall. He joins the group at the table and stares at the pizza. "You'll love it." Mack hands him a slice and Groff eats in silence, a big grin on his face.

"Kris will be along in a moment. She will need to eat first before we can officially sit down. Sorry about the delay. Things have been… different this time around. There is way too much power circling our ship. She is struggling."

"Is she alright? Does she need anything?" You ask as all eyes turn to you slowly. "What?" Rick decides to answer.

"What she needs is to expel the excess energy that she is soaking up. Groff, is she Kulana?"

"Yes. How did you know? There are not very many left." Groff was working on his fourth piece.

"I met one a while back while fighting. Hell of a lover… if you have the stamina. Anyway, Tess, she expels it through sex. You wanna offer anything up? You have amazing stamina… she would appreciate that." Rick stares at you while the rest of the guys are very silent. Eyes around the table move from Rick to you.

"Oh. Oh! Um… I can offer Groff and a room?" The table laughs as Groff rolls his eyes.

"Thanks for offering me up baby girl. I offer you up for walking in on us. Maybe this time you'll get to see more of me?" The comment was low and cranky.

"You know that's always been my secret fantasy Groff. Seeing your dick as another woman goes down on you. Oh baby…" You stare directly at Groff as he intensely glares at you.

"Maybe next time I'll get to see that perfect ass of yours bouncing along someone else's dick… Who knows? Heard you liked three ways…" Groff gives you an evil grin as the red splashes across your face. You break eye contact with a smile and put your head down. Mack jumps up and cheers.

"Fuck! Groff with the win! I'll give you your bonus with the next check old man!"

"Thank you. Much more fun now… You thought you had me huh Tess?"

"Yes…" Your voice was muffled while still facing the table. You lift up and look at him. "Thought you were sooooooo embarrassed by having your baby girl walk in on you?"

"I got over it."

"That's good. At least Kris was able to tell you what happened…"

"What? What happened?" He looks at you suspiciously as Mack covers the wide grin spreading on his face.

"Oh, I thought she would have let you know. You totally turned me on. Nice ass there lover…"

"Fuck!" Groff starts to blush now and Mack yells out.

"New winner! Damn you two… never seen you guys actually participate. Nice to know the kid gloves are off at last." Mack laughs again while slapping Groff on the back.

"Damn baby girl. You got me. Fuck. Are you still…"

"Turned on by you? Fuck no. That was before I found out it was you. Then I almost threw up."

"Thanks the Gods." Groff messages the bridge of his nose as everyone around the table laughs. Just then, Kris enters, sits on Groff's lap and starts finishing off the pizza in front of him.

"You missed the battle Kris. First Groff won but Tess got him back in the end." Dean announces.

"Damn! I missed that? Not sure the last time I actually saw Groff blush. Oh! It was when Tess walked in on us." Groff is trying to shush Kris. "Yeah, that was when. You were trying to quickly put on your pants as she rounded the corner. What was I saying? Oh yeah, I asked if she liked what she saw… Then you blushed." Kris turns on Groff's lap to look at him. "Kinda like now." Everyone looks at Groff as he turns a darker shade of red.

"New winner! Kris with the final win… as always." Mack leans in to kiss her on the forehead.

"Thank you. Always enjoy taking money from you guys." Kris turns back around and focuses on the pizza in front of her.

"Alright, we had our fun. Time to make our way to the conference room. Kris? Are you feeling alright?"

"Yep. As long as you stay calm." She winks at Mack. He turns away suddenly but you see his face blushing as well.


	56. Chapter 56

Everyone walks back into the conference room and takes chairs around the circular table. Rick sits to one side as Dean takes up the other. Scar Rick is seated next to the empty chair that Mack will take when needed; he was a stand, talk and walk kinda guy. Kris sat next to Groff and pulled her chair closer to hold on to his arm. You see a warm smile play on his face as she cuddles in. Torren is between Dean and Groff. First up is Scar Rick to talk about everything he knew concerning the ship's layout. As he talks, you walk up to the main board and turn on the holographic display. You do a search for the vessel type and bring up the schematics. You fill in the areas that you knew of from your visit. Scar Rick points out others as well and you fill them in. There are several levels with unknown layouts that could house the captives, the beasts or the Mortys. The display is downloaded to each device for later use.

Next is Scar Rick's description of Kat'Rin. You pull up a picture of yourself during your fighting years wearing a slim body suit for an infiltration mission. Rick smiles and winks at you.

"Nice ass babe."

"Oh, just you wait…" You hold back a smirk.

You take the display and start to change the proportions. Scar Rick is starting to chuckle as the guys around the table stare blankly at the display. You get the correct fill of breasts and ass added on to the display. You add in the black hair with the single red stripe. The makeup is placed along your face as well as the sharp nails and the heels. You take a look and nod your head.

"Nice… that looks like her." Scar Rick comments.

"No shit? That's Kat'Rin?" This from Torren. "What the fuck is wrong with her?"

"I understand your comment now Scar Rick…" Kris said sadly. "Those are beyond fake."

"That's too much… Sorry guys… I… can't…" Mack starts bursting out in laughter. Dean, Groff and Rick join in soon after. You roll your eyes as Scar Rick joins in. Soon everyone has a nice fit of laughter before moving on. "Damn. Sorry."

"No problem." Scar Rick starts out. "You have no idea what was running through my head when I first met Tess. As you all know… she is completely different. Do not be fooled though, Kat'Rin is dangerous. She is mentally unstable. Her obsession with Ricks seem to stem from either a refusal or betrayal from the first one she met. I was the second one. Things went well until she thought I was looking at other women. Then she snapped. She can control Ricks by fear and coercion and sex, basically."

"Explain please." Kris spoke out.

"Kat'Rin is able to control you during sex to make you believe that you want something when normally you would never… Like pain. She is really into pain. Pain for one Rick gives her pleasure. She will twist your thoughts to make you enjoy the pain too. Then she will turn it off and cause you pain. Back and forth… drives you crazy. Literally. If you do something she doesn't like, she will bring forth a family member to torture. I won't go into that. Let's just say that no Rick ever know whose family it truly is, so we all feel the pain. There are a lot of Ricks who hate her and will do anything, jump at any chance to get away. But there are also Ricks who love what is going on. They will fight for her without her even asking. I have been sending out feelers and I believe that the ones who would fight with us far outnumber the others."

"That's good to know at least." Dean comments.

"Anything else you would like us to know?" Mack asks Scar Rick.

"Nothing that I can think of so far. I'll add if it comes up." Scar Rick sits down and Mack asks you to bring up the ship diagram. He walks around the table looking at it. "Kris, I know that you have been able to infiltrate and gather information without being seen. Could you possibly do this again?"

"I'm confident I can. I already know the base thread for these two Ricks. It should essentially be the same. I might also be able to use my powers to locate Kat'Rin as well. Most of what I may be able to provide will be on the fly."

"Whatever you can provide us with will help Kris. Thank you. Dean, the best course of action at first will be to locate those shipping containers that Tess marked out for us. Further inspection would provide us with more information on the beasts she keeps. When we can locate Kat'Rin, best bet would be to involve non-Ricks."

"And you as well Mack." Kris says looking up at him. Mack pauses and takes a moment to stare at Kris. You see her wink and then Mack nods his head.

"Good call. I will be in charge of getting the captives located and released. Dean, I know that you want to be involved in that as well. We may need as many hands as we can on this. Tess, I know we have talked in the past about you having a bond with Beth, Summer and Morty. Is there any way you might be able to sense them onboard?"

"When I was there last, I had already known them pretty darn well and I would not have been able to tell you where they were. Sorry." You lower your eyes as Dean rubs your back.

"No problem. So, we need a way in to gain information. Scar Rick, any deliveries you can think of?" Mack asks while massaging his neck.

"Yep. Plenty. I was thinking, if we could get Kris in and cover to allow her time to explore, we would be better off than we are now. You would be able to fill in more of the gaps of the ship. Let us know if there are other barracks or other places where you sense a large grouping of people." Scar Rick looks to Kris.

"I can. But as you said, I will need enough time. Maybe a big shipment so there is time to unload?"

"Food supplies… Rations… that one should be coming up soon. I can intercept. We can send a small group in to deliver the goods and start unloading. The team will have to be men so Kat'Rin will not get angry if a female is caught looking at a Rick." He looks at Kris. "So don't get caught."

"I'm good at distractions. I won't get caught. Mack, if you can give me a time table, I will make sure to gather as much as I can."

"We can do that. But I do not want to put you in any danger. See if you can gather the data from the ship first before venturing out. If you cannot, then stick to the shadows and do not interact. Keep to the time table." Mack talks directly to Kris as she nods and agrees to the parameters.

"At least we have a plan now." Rick states. "It's nice to know there's movement now. I will keep my other team out of this for now; at least until we gain more information."

"Sounds good Rick. Keep me informed as well. We all need to be on the same page for this one. Innocent lives are at stake." Mack looks at everyone around the table and dismisses the meeting.


	57. Chapter 57

Chapter 57

Take Off

You stand by the small freighter Scar Rick intercepted for the delivery of supplies heading to Kat'Rin's vessel. It was no problem for the team to incapacitate the original crew and take over the delivery. Groff, Torren and Mack were heading out on the ship with Kris in tow. The boys would be moving the crates off the ship and into Kat'Rin's cargo hold at a slow enough pace to provide Kris with time to gather intel. Mack suspected that they would be able to squeak out thirty minutes without drawing attention. If Kris was not back by then, they would stage an injury or cargo drop to soak up some more time. Groff and Torren were helping the crew members load up extra supplies and walk through the plan. You are standing off to the side with Mack, talking about the plan again. He could tell you were worried.

"It's not like we haven't done something similar a thousand times before." Mack replied.

"I get it. But this time I'm not going with you."

"You didn't go while you were retired and we're all still alive."

"Yeah, but again I didn't know. Now I know and I can't go. I worry."

"I know." Mack looks back towards the cargo hold. The crew had finished loading and Torren and Groff were leaning against crates watching the two of you. You smile and wave to the boys. Torren waves back and Groff winks, blowing you a kiss. You fake catch it and pretend to put it in your pocket. You see Torren bust up laughing and Groff hit him.

"Be safe. Come back. That's all." You look back at Mack and give him a smile. You want to run into his arms. You want to give him a kiss for luck, but you still didn't know how he wanted to deal with your relationship. As Mack tells you he will take care of the boys, you turn towards the ship to give hugs to the guys. Mack grabs you by the arm, swings you around into his arms and kisses you fully on the lips. You hesitate at first and then drown into his arms. Your hand traces his jaw line as you slowly pull away. His eyes are glowing softly as you shake your head. "Now? You chose now to let them know? You know you have to deal with them in close quarters on the way to the ship right?"

"Fuck. Really didn't think about that. I love you. That's all the really matters. I might not make it back alive though…" You see him glance towards the boys as he slowly closes his eyes. You chuckle and glance at the boys. Both jaws are dropped. You walk over to them.

"You two take care. Don't play hero." You walk up to Groff and hug him. He responds but keeps staring at Mack, who is walking towards the ship. As you hug Torren, he leans down to whisper in your ear.

"How long baby?"

"A long time. I was ashamed. Really didn't have to be, I know, but I needed something private. Sorry." You whisper back. Torren kisses your cheek and whispers back.

"Still going to give him hell. Love you." You pull back and smile at him. As you walk out of the ship, you can hear Groff start with the lecture. You pass by Kris on the way in.

"Hey. Be careful. Kat'Rin is going to piss you off."

"I know baby. I've been talking a lot to Scar Rick; I know what I am going to experience." Kris looks towards the boys and back to you. "Did you guys finally tell them?"

"Worse. Mack kissed me in front of them."

"So that's what I felt. One of these days I need to sit down and have a talk about you and your boys." Kris walks off and you stand for a minute thinking about what she could possibly mean.

You walk away from the ship as it takes off. Bringing out your portal device, you head to where Dean is in the mess hall of the main ship.

"Hey Dean. I'm going to hang out at my place. Here is a personal communicator that you can use to let me know if you need anything. Mack asked for me not to be on board in case something happens. Something about not wanting me to go off halfcocked."

"Yep. Got it babe. Heard Mack finally kissed you in front of the guys." You look at him in shock. "Oh come on… you know the whole ship is talking about it. After this is over with, can you take me to see Beth?"

"No problem, lover boy."

"You know it!" He winks at you as you create a portal back to your place.

Once home, you walk into the bedroom and see Rick laying on the bed, looking through several data pads, smoking something peculiar. You cock your head as he looks up at you and pats the bed for you to join. As you displace some of the data pads, Rick hands you the joint. You take it and smell the particular chemicals and crystals he added to this one.

"Nice. Good job adding in the Pytil. I've always had issues with that one; stubborn little plant."

"Yeah, took some genetic re-engineering to make it more compliant."

"Wait… does that mean you got into my personal stash?"

"It does. Your code was far too simple. Nice lab down there. You got some species that have been extinct in my dimension for decades."

"Fucker. Don't use too much." You take a drag and close your eyes to the flavor and immediate side effects. Your body instantly relaxes as the hairs on your arms raise up. You let out a shiver and hand it back. "Wow. Needed that."

"Me too. We are heading into some heavy shit. Not going to lie and say that I feel confident. There are too many variables in all this. Even after this last month of planning and formulating new plans and crossing out old plans and… plans, plans, plans… Need some time to be unfocused." You look at Rick, take a long drag and pull him in for a kiss. Rick groans against you as he swipes off the remaining data pads and lays you on the bed. He grabs the joint from you and takes a long drag as well before laying it on the side table.

"Fuck babe. You have no idea how much I need you. Hate being this vulnerable." He leans in again to kiss you. Your sensations are doubled from the last long pull as you spend some time running fingers along his face. Rick stares into your eyes with a sly smile. "Can't get enough of me?"

"Not since I crashed your place… That was… what? Almost three months ago?"

"Yes. And almost a year ago I actually thought about ending things… glad I didn't."

"Glad you didn't. Never consider that option again my love." He leans down to kiss you again, the sensations spreading within you as the drugs mix with your bond. Rick groans in response to the pull as well. You close your eyes and allow the feelings to overtake you. The drugs turned on a switch within you, increasing the vibrations between bodies; making every touch feel brand new. That, along with the bond, creates a swirling cascade that washes around you to bathe you not only in what you are feeling but what he is feeling as well. Rick curses out, letting you know he is feeling the same as he lays small kisses along your neck. Those nimble fingers claw their way under your shirt and reach up to below your bra. You angle your back upwards as Rick leans back to unsnap it. A sigh escapes his lips as he lifts the bra over your breasts, hands gripping and circling your nipples as you cry out with pleasure. Rick echoes you and pulls you up to strip off your shirt and bra.

As the material is removed, you pull at his shirt as he reaches around to yank it off. With another growl and a wink he pushes you along the bed, raises your hips and pulls off your pants. After he tosses them to the side, he removes his own to show a fully ready member. You pull yourself up on your elbows and admire him from head to dick. He closes his eyes and runs a hand along himself pulling on your desire. The heat slams against you, caressing your body and returns again to him. You can feel the ebb and flow now; the bond with Rick is truly like a living creature. Rick's eyes open as a finger beckons you forward. Your eyes fog over as you crawl over to him, taking him into your hand to squeeze.

"Fuck… that's almost too much. Maybe I'll lay off on the Pytil a bit." His eyes roll back as you raise up and kiss him. His hand grips the back of your head as he darts his tongue within your mouth. As you pull away, you give him a wicked grin.

"The Pytil makes the senses react faster huh?"

"By god yes."

You give Rick a wink and jump off the bed to retrieve the joint. He smiles large as you take another deep drag and exhale. Before you have the chance to place it back down, Rick slams you up against the wall, pulling both legs up and around himself. He starts kissing your neck, sucking at the skin and causing the flesh beneath to prickle and raise up. You moan loudly as your breath quickens. Rick reaches between your legs to rub against you, making a comment about how ready you are. His touch along the outside is enough to crash in against you, spreading out the heat along your legs and out your toes. You grind against him as he curses then chuckles.

"Not too much for you though… Stay here." He lifts your legs on top of your shoulders as he licks along your walls, creating another sensation that racks your mind. Each lick, each line of wetness pricks at nerves traveling outside to circle back within, creating tremors from deep below. He has not even come near your tip and you about to cum for the first time. Rick echoes the feelings as you notice one hand being removed from against your leg.

"Stroking yourself? I can… I can… help… with… that…" You whisper in between gasps. Rick takes a quick break to respond.

"Not until this one is finished. Then we switch…" His voice and breath against you creates new pleasure as the tremors quicken. Noticing your body bucking, Rick latches on to your tip, sucking deeply as you scream out. Fingers dig into the back of his shoulders as you rock against him. Once the body slows, Rick lifts you up and tosses you on the bed. "Fuck girl. Next time, you get the good shit only."

"Come here…" You lower a hand across your body as he watches with intent. He kneels on the bed as you switch your position and lay with your head between his legs. Rick looks down at you with wild eyes.

"Slowly babe. The way this shit is effecting me, when I cum, that will be it for a while. Not that I'm not willing to do other things, just want that final push to be within." He watches you as you nod your head, half listening. You pull yourself backward a bit and spend some time taking his tender sack within your mouth, swirling the balls around with your tongue. You see his back arch as his breathing quickens. You bring your hands along the length of him, stroking up and down in time with your sucking. The sensations entering you mirror his own, letting you know that the speed and pressure was perfect. A wave of fire wraps around you, almost guiding your hands to squeeze tighter. You comply as Rick curses out.

You release him and move forward, asking him to lean forward. Rick's eyes flutter open as he falls on top of you, going directly to your tip and sucking with a new intensity. You scream out as you tilt your hips towards him. Hands grab your ass as fingers play along your openings. After focusing on the sensations created for a minute, you return the play back on him. A hand grips him, gently guiding him into your mouth as you lift your head up and down along him. Your focus is on him for a moment as you run your teeth gently along his length. Again the fire presses you for more and you give. Rick has paused from his play as he focuses on what you are doing to him. A hand grips his base as you twist your tongue along his tip. As you start to swirl around, Rick curses and bucks on top of you. He rolls off, eyes closed and focused on his breathing.

Giving him a moment, you remain where you are and lower your fingers to keep up the momentum he started. Rick rises up and spends some time just watching you as you self-stimulate. You look into his eyes as he leans over to kiss you. Both of your hands are raised above your head as Rick grabs the top sheet with his other hand. He straddles you, barking an order for you to leave your hands where they are. Intrigued, you leave them. He rips the sheet into strips then leans against you to tie your wrists to the slats in the bed frame.

"You're not playing fair today." He says in a fake chiding manner. "I have to punish you now babe. You know I hate to do this… but when I say let me cum within you… I do not mean your most skilled mouth and tongue. So, now… I will have complete control." Rick lowers himself to tie your ankles along the lower bed frame. Your heart is racing with anticipation. You've never been tied down before. Rick stops mid-motion and looks at you. "Never babe?"

"Never. Wait… I didn't say that aloud."

"I know…" Rick chuckles darkly as he raises himself along your body. With your arms and legs tied down, all you can do is arch your body as he travels upwards. "Give me an area…"

"Go down on me again…"

"No." He chuckles again and kisses you deeply. "Ask me again. Beg me. Convince me." He coos into your ear. A shock of arousal courses through you as you shiver.

"Please Rick. I need you. Fuck me…" You hear him inhale sharply.

"Wrong word babe…"

Rick moves between your legs and pushes himself within as you both cry out. The movement quickens as Rick uses his momentum to raise your hips and slam into you with more force. Your eyes close as you feel him within you, moving along within, the heat shoving its way downward and within. You tighten up and scream out that you are close. Rick curses but instead of removing himself, he speeds up the motion, laying himself against you, using his hands below to spread your ass. At this angle, your legs are closer together creating a tighter experience and you both cum at once. You feel the two of you release as the heat tightens around your hips, shoving them together for the last tremor. Rick looks into your eyes and shakes his head.

"I'll get better… Didn't want to leave… fuck that was some good shit."

"I'm still not finished yet…" You coo as Rick smiles.

"Good. Was hoping. Now what were you trying to ask for? Choose your words carefully babe."

"Ohhhh my. Okay. Please lover, lower that sexy face down and put your sweet tongue to good use. Lick, suck, and push your way through."

"Fuck… you're getting better…" Rick lowers himself and does as you wish. The pulsations from within come faster, riding on the back of the last and you buck against him as you cum again. Rick locks his mouth along you as he sucks until the last tremor finishes. While you are slowing your breath, Rick unties your legs and wrists, wrapping himself around you. You intertwine your own arms and legs around him and lie against him until you fall asleep.

Your dreams are wracked with images of a false Rick in a black trench coat and a yelling Morty. You toss to visions of portals and a laughing version of yourself. More Mortys invade your dream; all have looks of hopelessness and fear. You sit up covered in sweat as a scream erupts. Rick bolts upright, a plasma gun in his left hand. After he looks at you, he lowers the gun and holds on to your face.

"It was a dream. Just a dream. You're safe here, remember?" His voice cuts through the panic as you turn to look him in the eyes.

"I had a nightmare about Morty. That he was scared. I think… I'm not sure. It's starting to fade now." You wrap yourself in Rick's arms. He gently kisses the top of your head as he tells you everything is alright and that you can go to the Smith house yourself to make sure.

After you calm down, you wash up and get dressed. Rick lets you know that he will continue to work on the details here if you need him. Another kiss and the portal is opened to Dean first. The mission is going well and the team is on their way back. You ask if he would like to go with you to visit the family. You didn't tell him why you were rushing him to get ready.

"Are you ready finally? Geesh, you're like a girl…" Dean rolls his eyes and follows you through the portal. Once on the other side, you are greeted with a crying Beth and Summer. Beth rushes to Dean, telling him that Morty has been taken.


	58. Chapter 58

Chapter 58

Finding Morty

"What do you mean, Morty's been taken?" Asks Dean in a panic.

"I thought it was dad. He came out of the garage and yelled for Morty from the bottom of the stairs like he always does. Something about needing to get something for Tess. Then Morty runs down and goes into the garage. Before I see my dad exit, he picks up a black trench coat and winks at me. I screamed for Morty, but by the time I got in the garage, they were already gone." Beth was talking fast and suddenly broke down crying again. Your mind is racing. A black trench coat, just like in your dream. Oh fuck.

"We will get him back. I have an idea where he took Morty and I promise this is not over." You reassure Beth as she looks up to you and gives a small smile. Summer gives you a hug and you tell Dean that you have to go. He starts to follow you through the portal promising to be back as soon as he can. You pause before going in, and ask Summer and Beth to pack a quick bag. You look at Dean and express your discomfort in leaving them in this house since it had been compromised. He agrees. You close the portal and open up a new one.

Beth and Summer come downstairs and you take them to the ship. As they walk in, you are greeted by another soldier that you remember from the past. His name is Rob and you tell him that these two are your personal guests. Dean asks if Rob would take him to his quarters and make sure they have anything they need. Dean also instructs him to have Torren take over for their care when he returns. After making sure that plans are in place, you take Dean through a portal to your base. You round the corner and see Rick still on the bed, looking through schematics, nude.

"Whoa… Dude… way too much of you." Dean says covering his eyes.

"Lookie here… If it isn't the man who fucked my daughter… Take a good look sweetie, if you ever piss her off you will be seeing a lot more of my dick close up…" Rick stares at Dean while touching himself. You roll your eyes and stand between the two.

"We have no time for this! Morty has been taken by another Rick… A lot like the one from that nightmare!" Rick jumps off the bed and runs to you.

"Do you know what happened? Do you know where they could have gone? You think Morty is safe?" Rick yells out everything at once, the panic clear in his eyes.

"It happened like in the dream. Beth thought it was you calling for Morty. He left out the garage and grabbed a black trench coat. By then it was too late. We made sure that Beth and Summer are safe aboard the ship. I know Morty must be at Kat'Rin's place. I have to try and find him Rick. I have to. I saw this in my dreams… I think the bond with Morty is stronger now. Please."

"Hold on… you want to go back to Kat'Rin's ship huh?" Rick eyes you carefully.

"Yes." Dean hisses behind you as Rick is steady in thought.

"Are you fucking crazy Tess?" Dean yells while turning you around. "This could be a trap!"

"It could be…" Rick pondered. "But if it was, why not take the whole family? Why just Morty? If she wanted Tess to act quickly and without thinking the whole family would be the best bet."

"What are you thinking?" Dean asks Rick.

"That there is another reason behind this… I just can't put my finger on it right now. Tess, you think that there is something to this bond now? That you might be able to focus it to find Morty's location?"

"Yes. But I'll need to have some help. I'm not asking to go wondering around the ship. I made too many promises to you two that I would never do anything like that again. Dean can help me try and focus. See if I can narrow down where he might be. Remember… I felt other Mortys… that was the biggest kink in our plan. We have no clue where the Mortys are."

"Alright. Dean, you stick to her like glue. Tackle her, knock her out if you have to, but don't let her leave the room." Rick yells at Dean and he nods his head. "I'm going to create a portal to Scar Rick's room. Try to focus. Use the schematics. Then return. No going after him. Return."

"Yes Sir!" Dean replies as Rick opens up a portal.

Once within Scar Rick's room, you look around to find the same mess as was there before. You sit down on the couch as Dean clears the rest of the room. Closing your eyes, you try and reach out with your bond. Nothing happens. You try again… focusing on what Morty looks like, what he sounds like… nothing again. You growl.

"What's up?" Dean asks while sitting in front of you, his hands on your knees.

"I can't do this. I must be nuts. They all have a bond with me, not the other way around. Maybe Morty can feel me but…"

"Stop it. Out of all the guys you have a bond with, who are you the least sexually attracted to."

"That's a silly question… but you. I guess. And Torren."

"Wow… that hurts. But seriously, I know. You and I are like something else… I know, not a good description, but I've seen you naked. Your sexy as hell but you don't get me going. I have too much love, too much respect, you're family. True family. I guess this is the same way you feel for Morty right?"

"Yeah."

"Then focus on the guy you have here. What do you feel when you think of me?" Dean smiles at you as you close your eyes and think.

"I feel true safety. You were always the first one to find me, to rescue me, to protect me. Forever it was just the two of us on the field. I rely on you." You look at Dean and see him starting to tear up. He smiles and kisses you on the back of your hand.

"Ditto baby. Now I'm going to go to the next room and I want you to focus on that. Try to feel me." Dean leaves and you lower your head and focus. You remember all the times you thought you were dead, only to see Dean's face smiling at you as he rescues you. That warm feeling you had always felt when he saved you comes back like an old friend to give you a large hug. You can sense a trail leading off of it, like a string from a sweater. You visually follow it, and you can see an outline of Dean standing against the closet door. You yip in excitement as Dean rushes over to you.

"I did it! I did it!" You throw yourself into Dean's arms as he swings you around. That warm hug feeling returns as once again he saved the day. You look at him and give him a peck on the lips. "Thank you!"

"No problem. Now, try to focus on the same kind of thing with Morty. How do you feel around him?"

"I… I… I have always felt that I would be proud to call him my son…" a tear starts to form at these words being said. You felt the same way with Summer.

"Good. Focus on that baby. Close your eyes. I'll pull up the schematics. Give me directions as if you were walking out of this door.

You close your eyes and focus on the feeling of Morty calling you his mom and instantly you feel his particular warmth. It was the same as the first time he ran to your arms after thinking you were gone for good. That feeling that someone depended on you, respected you, looked up to you. And once again, there was a faint trail to follow. You chase after it, describing every turn you take until you stop at a huge door. The trail squeezes through and you find that you can follow. The room is filled with very faint trails… as if they were waiting to latch on to someone. Your trail becomes bright as you follow it. Morty turns around and smiles. You see him mouth your name. Then you open your eyes and stare at Dean.

"You locate him?" You ask in a panic.

"Yes. You did it!" Dean smiles up at you as you grab the schematic and portal back to Rick.


	59. Chapter 59

Chapter 59

Right on Track

By the time Mack's team returned from their fact-finding mission, you were in the main tactics room finishing off the labels for the schematics of Kat'Rin's ship. Kris was able to gain a lot of useful information including two new additions; another barracks room for Ricks and where the Beths and Summers were located. She was also able to pin down exactly where Kat'Rin's quarters were. Since she never liked to perform in the same room, Scar Rick was never sure where she slept. At least some major questions were answered. Mack gave you the typical lecture about your adventure but was proud that you went to Rick first instead of running off. Kris was not shocked in learning that you could follow your bond back to someone and offered to teach you more later. Mack assembled everyone in the main room to go over the latest schematics and to meet the team Rick and Scar Rick had been working with. Of course, this meant that you were no longer a part of the ultimate planning. You were asked to leave it to them and they promised to make sure you were a part of the retrieval team.

You decided that now was a good time to meet up with Beth and Summer to make sure everything was alright. They were in the mess hall along with a larger group of guys this time. There were a lot of looks in their direction, but they were worried about other things.

"Hey guys… Everything alright so far?" You sit down next to Beth and put a hand on her shoulder. She looks up at you with puffy eyes and grabs a hold of you.

"I'm alright… really. Just scared for Morty. What if he is being hurt? Tortured? What if this is all my fault?"

"I saw him through my bond. He's fine. He's not being tortured. He is in a room with other Mortys. Nothing bad is happening to them. And if it is someone's fault, you should blame me. I dragged you into all this…"

"No way." Summer starts to argue. "This is totes not your fault. We would all stand up for you alright? We adopted you and this is what family does for each other… we fight… alright?" Summer puts an arm around you and her mother as Beth sits up.

"You know what Summer? You're right. Family does fight for each other. We want to help however we can Tess. You just let me know what you need." Beth wipes her eyes and stands up.

"Whoa, cool your horses there Beth. There's not much to do right now. We have to sit back and wait for the big guys to make the decisions. Apparently, I have too much invested in this battle to think clearly. Which they are right, but I will never admit to that in front of them."

"Then what should we do? I'm going crazy." Summer replies while resting her head on the table.

"Hey, you guys want to visit my place?"

Both girls jump up and walk through the portal you create which leads back to your living room. Summer smiles and plops down in front of the television while Beth heads to the kitchen. She rummages through some cabinets until she finds a bottle of wine. Looking over it, she pauses and then sits it on the table.

"Habit tells me to drink. Not sure if that is the best thing for Morty right now." You walk over to the counter and smile.

"My, my, my, how you have grown." She gives you an evil glare and you wink at her, uncorking the bottle and pouring into two glasses. "There is always a time to drink. But there are better times to get drunk. Now is not the time to get drunk." Beth smiles at you and takes a sip.

"Thanks Tess. You know… things have seemed, I don't know, lighter with you around. Well, not now…" she laughs, "but in general they were. I was actually thinking about getting back with Jerry until I met you. I thought that there was no one else for me. That I deserved someone like Jerry… but then you opened my eyes. You helped me see the real Beth. The one who had dreams and aspirations. I thought that because Jerry never left me, that he was enough. I know better now." Beth traces the rim of the glass with her finger and starts to blush. "Thank you for introducing me to Dean. He's…"

"Let me stop you right there." Beth smiles and look up at you. "I don't want to know. Dean is family in the truest sense. I have seen him with a lot of manipulative gals who only want to use him and leave him. I was more then happy to introduce you. Wasn't sure if he would be your type. He loves to joke around like your dad."

"Yeah, he does. But in a way, I'm use to that. It's comforting. He doesn't take everything so literally. Doesn't get offended easily. He stands up for me and my family and he barely knows us!"

"Well, that's Dean. If I consider you family, he's in too. But honestly, I've never seen him so taken with someone. Please, if you are serious, then by all means, go right ahead. But if there is any question about returning to Jerry…" Beth looks at you.

"No way. Not after Dean. I can't ever see myself going backwards now. Dean is so… so…" Beth blushes again and you roll your eyes.

"Ugh. Nope. Talk to someone else. Don't wanna know."

Beth starts laughing as Summer walks over to join the group.

"Did I just hear you say that you were done with dad?" Summer asks quietly.

"Yes. You did. Are you alright?" Beth looks at Summer and you can tell she is expecting the worst.

"Yeah. I'm actually fine with that. You know, if he really wanted you back, he would have, like fought for us… instead of banging that alien chick."

"Thanks Summer." Beth wraps an arm around her. Summer looks at you.

"So, can I get a glass of wine?"

"I say yes… Beth?"

"Sure."

About three hours later you turn the corner and run right into Rick. Mack was close behind him but swaying. Or at least you were.

"Whazzup?" You slur out. You see Rick look over your shoulder and start laughing. He must have seen the bottles. Or Beth. Or Summer.

"Had a couple of drinks?" Rick cooed into your ear. Him being that close sent hot shivers across your spine. Mack responded in kind with an exhale.

"What was that?" Mack's breathy voice came out. That sent you over the edge some more. Warm tingles swam down to your crotch. Rick chuckles.

"God, I love this… This is how she gets when she is drunk or high. Her hold over the bond weakens and she is like butter…"

"That's nice and all… but shouldn't we look after your family first?" Mack growls out. Those warm little tingles turn into fire as you stumble towards Mack.

"They're fine. Passed out. Too much for Beth, had to. Once she got drunk, she wanted to tell me all the little details about what Dean did to her. Wouldn't listen to me. Had to get her more drunk. Then she passed out right when… when she was going to tell me… how… how large he is. Like I wanna know that! And Summer… poor, poor, Summer. Couldn't hold down the first drink. Got… got hot then tired. Took off her shirt and fell… fell asleep. Me, on the other hand…"

"Kept drinking…" Rick replied as he placed more wine bottles up on the counter. "Really? Wine?"

"Fuck off… wasn't anything else. Someone… you… drank it all… you… and didn't replace it… it was you. Bastard." You stumble over to Rick as he chuckles some more.

"Well ain't you cute…" Rick walks over to you. "Haven't seen you this drunk yet…"

"Oh, baby… You are in for it. I not only get cute… I get horney as fuck…" You toss yourself into Rick's arms and kiss him deep. Rick obliges by lifting up a leg and wrapping it around him. Rick kisses down your neck then stops. You see him looking over at Mack. You lean backward and watch Mack upside down. "You're tall…" Mack laughs and shakes his head.

"That's what you have to say? I'm tall…"

"And big. Really big." You look back at Rick. "Sorry dear, but I'm not… not sure I can do a double with him… I'll cry. Really. I'm not a wish bone. I'll break. No, wait, that's what wish bones do… So am I a wish bone then?" You take a moment to ponder this.

"Man, she's really wasted. Love this." Mack chuckles.

"Well? You said you would share… I wanna share… Who's first!" You stand up and walk backward to the bedroom. You clumsily take off your shirt and throw it at the guys. They are standing there, mouths open, not saying or doing anything. You take off your pants and throw them to the side. Still no response. "Fine, I'll fuck myself." You turn your back and walk to the bedroom.

You fumble against the wall for the light switch and curse when you can't find it. Giggling, you reach into the side table by the bed and feel around for some toys. You hear a growl come from behind as Mack tackles you against the bed. You giggle and turn in his arms. Rick casually turns on the bedroom light and closes the door.

"What was she trying to do?" Rick asks while rounding the bed.

"I guess trying to reach for a toy…" Mack growls out. "Bad idea. How dare you insult us like that?" His voice was very playful. You liked that. A heat filled you again, traveling down your body and outward. You look at Rick as he shivers.

"Fuck… that's… that's some good shit there." Rick trails a hand down the front of his pants to reveal a hard lump pushing through. You crawl on the bed towards him and unzip his pants. He inhales as you pull him out, crawling up to place him in your mouth. Just before you reach him, you are pulled slowly backward with another chuckle. What was so funny?

"Hold on there… we need ground rules." Mack laughs. "Seeing as how you are adamite about having us both."

"Fuck yes." You reply sitting up and unzipping Mack's pants. "Trust me, you won't say no. You're both mine now." You lean forward only to be pulled back by Rick this time. "You guys are pissing me off…"

"Darling sexed up woman… when Mack says he wants ground rules, we listen." Rick whispers into your ear.

"Fine." You pout while looking at Mack. You move your hands down to your breasts and like how his eyes follow you. "Make it quick…"

"Fuck you…" Mack laughs. "Gods, is she really doing this?"

"You heard her… make it quick…" Rick chides.

"I will not have sex with you Rick. Not my thing. Nor are you to have sex with me. Deal?"

"Works for me. Through you know your missing some really fun positions…" Rick coos against your ear while biting it. You arch your back and place Rick's hand against your crotch. He starts to move his fingers over your tip.

"Not for me." Mack cocks his head as you see him watching what Rick is doing. A fire consumes you, stroked by Rick's fingers and Mack's eyes. Mack licks his lips and you arch your back for him to get a better view. You hear Rick chuckle darkly behind you.

"Fuck… she likes what she sees in you…"

Mack looks into your eyes as you move your own hands along your nipples. Rick moves his fingers faster as you moan against him. You keep the gaze with Mack as his eyes start to glow. Then he crawls along your body and kisses you. Rick's fingers still play along your opening as you arch your back. Rick grabs a hold of Mack's base and leads him into your opening. You see Mack shoot Rick a dirty look as Rick chuckles and tells him to enjoy the first round. He also says something else about being more specific in his rules. You are getting tired of the boys fighting and you raise yourself up to fully encompass Mack within you. He lets out a sigh and starts to push against you, calling you names as you laugh. Mack is pounding into you with hard pushes and you start to scream at the intensity of each push. Rick is above your head watching as he pounds you a couple more times before pulling out. You quickly turn over on your hands and knees, pulling Rick into your mouth. Rick gasps and grabs the back of your head.

Rick tells Mack to continue as you feel him entering from behind. The same intensity is repeated as you relax your mouth to each push. Mack is the one driving the speed in which you move along Rick's length. Rick has his head thrown back as he begs you to use your teeth. You comply as you are rewarded with a double fire, consuming from both ends. When the fires meet in the center, your world tilts as you orgasm, releasing from Rick to scream out. Mack pulls out quickly as Rick focuses on his breathing. You raise up along your knees and kiss Rick fully on the mouth. Your tongue forces its way in and circles around his. Fingers from Rick trail downward and within you as you spread them wider. Mack places both hands between your thighs and lifts you upwards. He barks at Rick to enter, and he does. Mack takes up the back end as Rick grips your waist with his hands. With both inside two places, you feel the duel push and pull as both work in time to rock you back and forth. Rick and Mack both curse along each side of your neck. One of Mack's hands comes up to grip a breast while Rick's hand twists the nipple of the other. You let your head fall back and moan to the spinning orgasm that is threatening you. Mack pulls out first as you scream that you are close. Rick wraps both legs around him and pushes you down against him in quick secessions until you both cum. Rick curses out at climax as your body bucks against him. You lay your head along his neck and playfully nip at his skin. Rick chuckles and whispers that you are far from over.

Mack comes up behind you and lifts you off Rick. You let out a chuckle as Mack tells Rick that his performance was sub-par. Rick curses him out but laughs. Mack lays himself along the bed and leads you on top of him. You settle yourself within and start moving back and forth, savoring how deeply he sits within you. Rick teases Mack that he is lazy and letting you do all the work. You pull Rick up by gripping his limp dick and placing it within your mouth. You always enjoyed doing that with Rick. This was the best way to get him hard again, plus the sensation you both felt were amazing. With him being so limp, you were able to swirl him around your tongue and more fully envelop his length and balls. Rick inhales deeply as you move your hand to grip below his sack. The tastes fill you as you speed up the rocking on top of Mack. His hands are both on your breasts now, teasing and pulling as you move. Rick's hands circle your head and push you into him deeper, keeping your mouth as close as possible.

Rick starts to harden within your mouth as you pull away from his groin. You pout and tell Rick that he needed to cum again soon, so you could get back to playing. Rick chuckles and curses at you, telling you that you are too demanding sometimes. Rick backs up while you spend some time focusing on Mack below you. He has been so patient while you had some fun. You needed to reward him. You bring both feet along his hips and lift yourself up and down along his length. Mack's breathing speeds up as he grips on to your hips to help guide you. Faster and faster you move until you start to scream out and Mack slams you down one final time to finish within. As Mack starts to slow his breath, you lift off of him and stand up next to the bed, looking for Rick.

Rick is behind you, pushing you face down on the bed as he pushes your legs apart and rams himself into you. Your head raises up as you scream in pleasure. Mack sits up and watches as Rick slams into you. You look at Mack and beg him to come over to you. Since he was now flaccid, you wanted a chance to see what he tasked like. Rick encouraged him, telling him that there was no way he could reach his ass to accidently find his way within. Mack tells him to fuck off, to which Rick says he was already working on that. You roll your eyes and grab a hold of Mack, pulling him up to you like you did with Rick. Mack's eyes light up again as you place him within your mouth, sucking, rolling and finally reveling in the fact that you could place his whole length within.

Mack bucks under your lips and tongue as he quickly grows in length. You sigh and start to release him from your mouth; once again he has become too long to fit the whole length within. You dig nails into Mack's hips and pull him closer to you, allowing your breasts to bounce along his sack as you focus on his tip. Meanwhile, Rick is pounding into you with more force and you beg him to slow down. You wanted some more time to savor both men. Rick leans down and brings a hand to play along your tip while you slightly rock against him and play with Mack. Mack's breath is quickening as his tip gets hotter and hotter the more you play. You can feel he is about to cum by the pulls of heat and the glowing of his marks. You hear Rick curse above you as he slows to allow you to finish Mack off. He cums in your mouth as you suck with a sudden intensity. Mack yells out above you, shoving his length into your mouth a couple more times as you suck even harder. Mack yells for you to release and you do. He backs himself up on the bed and shakes his head.

Rick laughs and starts pounding you with more intensity. Soon, he too cums within as you let out another scream, joining him. Rick remains within you for a couple of seconds as you both slow the pulsing within. Rick removes himself and helps you get back up on the bed and lay down along Mack. Rick moves in behind you to spoon you, making sure not to touch Mack. You look down at the awkward leg positioning and see Mack reach down and pull Rick's leg across the two of you. Mack's eyes close and he starts to fell asleep. Rick leans in behind you.

"You are amazing. I truly love you." He whispers along your ear.

"I love you too. Even though you are a manipulative bastard. I saw what you were doing… You better hope he never realizes that it was you leading this ménage…"

"I have no idea what you are talking about… But you are right… I will get him use to us…"

"Us huh? You know that Mack and I were a thing before us."

"A fact I am trying to erase with better memories, my love. Besides, I love watching you enjoy yourself. Glad you sobered up enough to remember."

"Would you be mad if I told you I was never really that drunk?"

"You vixen… and you call me manipulative… I think I love you more now." Rick sucks your ear then pulls your head to the side to kiss you. He cuddles against you as you both start to fall asleep.


	60. Chapter 60

Chapter 60

Memories

You wake up in the morning cuddled next to Mack with no Rick in sight. As you turn, you see a note letting you know that he took the girls out this morning to help them deal with their hangovers. He left a picture of a dick and a heart instead of his name. You chuckle and look over at Mack. He was still sleeping, so you cuddle back against him, his arm wrapping around you absently. As you close your eyes, you realize that you never really had the chance to sleep in with Mack. Every morning was a rush to get dressed and get to your tent so no one noticed. Now, that didn't matter. It was nice.

"Good morning, my queen." Mack muttered while stretching. You prop yourself against his chest and look at him.

"Why do you call me that?" You purr against him.

"Because, you are my queen. My mate. I love you to the ends of the universe." Mack traces your face while staring at you.

"Romantic…"

"Yeah. That's me. Killer by day, romantic by night…" Mack chuckles. "Only with you. Last night was…" he pauses to think of what to say, "Nice. I was dreading this happening. Sharing you this way. I was afraid that my possessiveness would rear its head. I was surprised. Rick is… welcoming." You burst out laughing.

"Yeah… he is. Whatever will get everyone to relax and enjoy. Just so you know, he's not into you. He's into pleasure. So if anything ever does happen, it would never leak over. He won't start flirting with you and drawing little penises all over notes…" You show him the message he left you. Mack busts up laughing and pulls you in for a kiss.

"I can't believe I get to actually wake up to you. And we don't have to hide anymore." Mack kisses you deeper and rolls on top of you. "And I get to do this now…"

Mack takes his time to feel along your body, to touch every scar and kiss along each with tender care. His tongue traces along the deep ones that run from your side to your back. You roll over and allow him access to the area along your back. He takes a moment to look then runs his fingers gently down from shoulders to bottom.

"I never really got to give these any attention. All our meetings were always rushed. Not that it wasn't a bad thing, I just never truly felt like one who loved you, just one who fucked you."

"Yeah. I remember those rushed mornings, running around trying to find where you tossed my clothing. And then that one morning when we realized too late that you tore up some of my clothes…"

"Ha! I remember that one! You had to grab a shirt of mine which went down to your ankles and sneak out. Thank the gods you never got discovered."

"Well, Dean knew." Mack inhales.

"Dean? How?"

"He said he knew after our first night. He knew the look in our eyes changed. Figures Dean would know. He was always good at pointing out who had good sex and who didn't the morning after. It was a game between us."

"I should never have kept it a secret. I hated doing that. I loved you. To hell with everyone else's opinions…"

"Yeah, but I asked you. Like I told Torren, I needed something private; something just for me. Now I have a clear mind, I realize that things were tenser then I thought…"

"Well, I was more than willing to help out with whatever you desired." Mack starts kissing and licking along the scars on your back. "All these are from our battles huh?"

"Every one." You reply sadly.

"Regrets?" Mack says in between kisses.

"None. I learned so much and met a wonderful family. And you… You are… you are…" You actually start to feel the tears start to come. Mack turns you around and straddles you.

"What's wrong?"

"I thought I loved my husband. Even when I was with him on earth. There was something missing. Something off. Then he died and I met Rick. He was the missing pieces. He is so much like me, so much in common. I get him, I understand the way he thinks. I fell for him so fast and so hard. And you… you come in and unleash these false memories and I realize that maybe… maybe my husband wasn't really who I thought he was. I called him my rock but my memories were of you. Fuck…" You cover your eyes, trying to stop the tears.

"It's been a long road for both of us. Can you believe that I was no longer interested in long term affairs? By the time you met me, I was done. I wanted only one night stands and to see how many girls I could fuck in a month. And then you come in. I was lost in your fighting techniques… so much like the young fighters from my race. Everything you did reminded me of my younger days in training. Even the fire within you; that passion to do what was right. Before you ever came to me, I was lost within you. I tortured myself daily, repeating that you were married yet still fantasizing about you." You uncover your eyes and look up at Mack.

" _You_? Fantasized about _me_?" You say slowly, unbelieving.

"I did. That's why I was distant from you. That's why I took the role of your leader; maybe too far at times. I pushed you harder than any soldier at first. And I loved when you showed me up. Your tenacity excited me. Your anger fueled my fire. By gods I wanted you so much… And then that night came…"

"No…" You cover your eyes again, feeling a blush coming on. "Let's not relive this…"

"But don't you want to know my side?" Mack purrs out. You open your eyes and nod. "You were such a bitch that day. I knew you were stressed and had no release. Any other soldier I would point towards a woman and tell them to fuck her; or a guy, depending… But I knew you wouldn't because you were married. So to find out that you had never even… explored your own body… I lost it. I was angry at your husband. I convinced myself that he wouldn't allow you to do such things; demonized him. And instead of just telling you what to do, I insisted on helping. Gods, I was evil. But I wanted to watch. I needed to. Anything to see you…" You feel a steady heat build within Mack and trickle on to you. These memories were arousing him. "You opened up to me. Trusted me even after I treated you like I did… Why?"

"You were being honest with me. So many people in my life were dishonest, holding back the truth or outright lying. You, you told me the truth even if it was hard to hear. I knew you were pushing me."

"Did you? Torren yelled at me once after he found you crying."

"Oh that? It wasn't about you. I was on my monthly. Couldn't exactly tell Torren that. So I said nothing. He assumed." Mack started to laugh.

"Fuck… makes sense. When did you fall in love with me?" His look was serious.

"When? I can't exactly say. Emotions were growing for months. Then when I asked for you to help… I knew that was a bullshit reason for me to feel your touch. I was coming up with ways to be close, to get more intimate… then I knew."

"Same. I always worried that I manipulated you into the whole affair. That if I didn't… do things, say things… that you would never have gotten to that point with me."

"Why does it even matter? You did and I did. I think I would have regardless. At one point, I wanted you. There is nothing that will stop me when my mind is made up, you know." Mack chuckles.

"Yeah, I figured… Last night was something you wanted and you were going to get."

"Yes. I did." You smile up at him and pull him down for a deep kiss. "By'Pallah." Mack groans against you, making the kiss more intense. He is about to do other things when your comms unit buzzes.

"Fuck…" Mack growls as he grabs the unit. "What?" It came out angry.

"Whoa, sorry Mack. Didn't know you were with her." It was Dean. "Thought you might want to know that the team is meeting soon. They want Tess in on this now."

"Ok. Sorry Dean. We'll be right there. You get a hold of Rick?"

"Right here motherfucker! Or should I say Tessfucker! Mwahaha!" Rick's voice yelled out from the back. Mack lowers his head and shakes it but there is a smile.

"Thanks Rick."

"Not like the whole ship isn't already talking about it. Maybe I should tell them all about last night!"

"Fuck no Rick. I will make you eat your own fucking dick if you do." Mack still had a smile across his face.

"Oooo. Always wanted to know what it would be like to fuck myself." Rick chuckles sounding louder on the comms.

"You got Scar Rick for that…" You yell back. You hear both Rick and Dean burst up laughing. Mack chuckles as well and tells them you were on your way. He puts the comms unit down and looks at you.

"Were you serious when you told me that this would be my home?"

"Of course." You kiss him again and leave to get dressed. Mack goes up to the closet and presses three odd shaped notches along the back wall. Another closet opens up filled with his clothes. "Fuck! I didn't remember that!" Mack laughs.

"Yeah. I added it in. Since I was here a lot more towards the end of our time."

"Still had to rush in the mornings though… had to make sure they didn't see us come up at the same time… I remember that too."

"No longer… no longer." After the two of you get dressed, you create a portal back to the main conference room. To your surprise, Beth and Summer are there too. Rick walks up to you, kissing you on the cheek.

"They asked to help. They will remain here and help the soldiers in whatever they can. Thought it would be best if they knew the plan too."

"Thanks Rick." Mack walks up to you both and puts his hand on Rick's shoulder to say thanks. Rick winks at him and Mack walks away chuckling. Soon the whole group has entered the room, sitting around a large table and waiting for the next move.


	61. Chapter 61

Chapter 61

The War Room

The room was filled with new and old faces around the main conference table. You see Tattoo Rick, another Rick with pulled back, black hair and three other races. Rick introduces the three as people he had fought with back in his war days. Mack circles to the front of the room and pulls up the schematics of Kat'Rin's ship. Major areas are lit in different colors with code names next to them. Alpha team was going to go straight for the captured girls; their purpose was to break them out and get them through a portal asap. Torren would be in charge of this group with Tattoo Rick. Bravo team would be in charge of distracting the Ricks on board the ship. Scar Rick would be working with this group so he could identify the Ricks that would help and get them to join. Charlie team would be heading straight to the Mortys. Rick would be the go to guy for this. Delta team would target Kat'Rin; no Ricks would be involved in this endeavor. For this team, Mack, Dean and you would be the only people. Groff would be working with Kriss to create distractions and control the ebb and flow of the battle with the Ricks. Kriss was confident that she would be able to keep some distracted and Groff was sure he could persuade a few to run in the opposite direction.

Orders needed to be relayed and directions given to teams in need, and that was where Beth and Summer would be assisting. Beth was given Alpha team to help out and Summer was assigned to Charlie team. You let out a deep sigh as you are faced with the inevitable end. It was time to get everyone out and safe. If things went right, all innocent lives would be spared. Having two separate teams in charge of escape and recovery was a smart idea. Each team would be given a Rick with a portal device so there was no need to worry about transporting them back to a shuttle. A thought came in the back of your mind and you stand up suddenly.

"Tess?" Mack's voice rang through the room.

"Ricks… Is there a way to block portal devices so they would not work?"

"Yes." Black hair Rick answers. "I know of one way to block portal devices but it would require a power source that would be easy to trace. We can scan the ship before the raid to see if they have it. If so, all we would need to do is disconnect the power source."

"Good thinking Tess." Rick winked at you. You sit back down and let out a breath. You wanted no stone unturned. Black haired Rick agreed to be left in charge of this detail; if there was a device, he would locate and disarm. The meeting was dismissed and most people left, talking about their plans. The lights were turned on and you walk over to Mack. Rick takes Summer and Beth out of the room with Scar Rick. You are now alone with Torren, Groff, Dean, Mack and Kris. Mack wraps his arms around you from behind and asks if you are alright.

"Yeah… just worried. Trying to go through all possibilities in my mind."

"Psh…" Groff replies. "Love you baby but there is no way to account for every detail. I know you are worried about people making it out alive. That is our first detail. Trust in our team Tess."

"I know… but you guys know me. I like to be prepared."

"Tess?" Torren calls your attention. "Do you think you would be able to fight Kat'Rin? She is you."

"Trust me… I'll have no trouble. She tortures Beths and Summers, she collects Mortys and fucks up Ricks. It's personal now. I can take her. If there is a Rick nearby there might be problems. I've sparred with Rick and Scar Rick and I'll tell you that I was impressed with their speed and agility. I could probably take on one but any more…"

"That's why I'll be there baby." Dean responds. "I will have no trouble kicking a Ricks ass." The group chuckles.

"I'll be there too." Mack whispers into your ear from behind. Hands tighten along your waist as he kisses against your neck; the side without the tattoo you notice. It's funny how the boys have found their own neck spot now. A slight shiver passes along you as you notice a stray wisp extend from Kris. You look to her and notice a slight glow to her eyes. She is concentrating hard and focused on her breathing. You make an excuse for the rest to clear out and grab a hold of Groff to pull him back in.

"She needs help." You whisper to him.

"You are to blame for that. Your connection to Mack and the Ricks… it's too much for her at times." Groff walks over to Kris as she pulls him towards her for a deep kiss. Her leg wraps around him and you can tell from the skirt that there is no underwear to interfere. Groff turns her around and slams her down against the table as she yanks at his pants. Kris looks at you and smiles.

"Uhm… I'll leave…"

"Why not ask Mack to come in?" Kris coos. Groff is too busy pushing himself within her and getting her shirt off. "I would love another taste before finishing up." You swallow not knowing what to do. You had asked Rick about her race and knew that she fed off of sexual energy. A part of you wanted to just leave, but you knew that a major fight would be coming up soon. Wouldn't it be better if she was fully fed?

"Would a full feeding help you out for the battle?" You look at Kris as she claws Groff's bare back. When did he get the top off? His muscular back brings on a slight arousal from you as you hear Kris moan out in response.

"Yes. It would help."

You take a breath and call out for Mack to join you back in the room. As he enters, he pauses, watching Groff with wide eyes.

"Again Kris? Fuck, what is going on?"

"Your… fault…" she gasps out before screaming as Groff pushes in deeper while flicking the erect nipple of a breast. Mack looks to you with a question on his face. You shrug your shoulders not sure what to do. "Fuck you two…" Kris yells out as you see a wisp crawl away from Groff and latch on to you. Your back arches as you feel something rise within you, along your walls deep within, playing on your tip. You place a hand down below shocked that there was nothing physically there. As you look back to Kris, she sends another one out to Mack to wrap around his dick. Looking over to him, Mack's eyes glow as he gives Kris an evil look. She winks at him while he grabs a hold of your hand and whips you against the wall to press in against you.

His markings flare as he kisses you deeply, his hands moving down inside your pants to play along the same area the wisp was before. You close your eyes and feel the fire start to build. Without warning, Mack growls deep and bites your neck hard enough for blood to trail down. You hear Kris scream behind him and know this might be too much. Even you feel the intensity as it comes at you like a firestorm. Kris' power created something primal inside Mack. He was marking you, being possessive, and worst… he was trying to be alpha in this room. You reach behind you to grab the portal gun you created. A quick dial and you splash a portal against the floor, leading Mack through it and on to your bed. As you land, Mack rips at your clothes and quickly removes his. You hope you were able to get him out before overloading Kris. Next time, if there ever was one, you were calling in Rick.

Mack growls again as he inhales your neck and hair. You close your eyes and beg him to take you fully this time. To no longer hold back and to mark you as he has always wanted to do. To create his own scar for the universe to see. Mack pauses for a second as you look into his bright eyes. Then something occurs to you; you have never marked him. Fuck this then…

You push Mack off of you and force his shoulders down along the bed. You straddle him and pull your hair back into a knot. He is watching you but no words escape. His markings are the brightest you've seen. Whatever the primal side of his race is, you are seeing it right now. The idea of marking you wasn't a ploy that intrigued him right now; he has already done that. What he was waiting for was you. You lean downward and repeat the gestures you saw him do. You take in his scent at the side of his neck and along his hair. He arches his back and reaches up to grab a hold of your hair. You growl at him and he smiles. As you close your eyes, you feel the fire burning against your skin. Leaning down along his chest, you open your mouth and bite as hard as you can along his skin. His flesh is salty and his blood has not only a metallic taste, but something else. Like inhaling a misty morning in the woods after a long night of fucking. You know that smell… his musk along with yours early in the morning as you struggle to leave undetected.

This is Mack. This man beneath you that you are marking is your mate. A strange understanding comes to you as he throws you off and takes you from behind. Words echo behind you in that language you don't speak. Again, certain words caress as deeply as a lover, others create a pain that raises arousal to a new level. You buck at his length slamming into you. The pace is quick and determined. There is no playing, just finishing. He bites hard along the side of your neck and you look to your side as you see his dark red blood mix with yours. The purple drips off you as Mack yells behind you. The orgasm building within is a quiet one. One that comes on with a sudden force and leaves you clawing at the bed and screaming into the mattress. Mack continues to push against you as your body burns within. When he cums, it is within and with a shake. He rests on top of you, breathing deeply and keeping himself supported by straightened arms. He turns you over and you see a panic in his normal eyes.

"Oh gods no… fuck… I'm sorry… I'm sorry… I…" You put a finger along his lips. Then you take that finger, run it along his blood, your blood and place it in your mouth. He stares down at you.

"You are my mate now. I have marked you. By'Pallah." Mack leans in to kiss you deeply, moving only to lap up the blood along your neck and chest.

"You're not scared."

"Why should I be? You didn't hurt me. Gods, I think I really needed that. Just a good dominating fuck." You laugh as Mack joins you.

"You truly are my By'Pallah…" Mack kisses you softly this time.

"Going to tell me what that really means?"

"Not now…"

"Fuck you."

"You already did." He chuckles and pulls you up to get redressed. The bite has healed over, but you notice another scar along the first he left. You look at him and notice a small scar where you bit in and pulled. You touch the mark.

"Hurts?"

"Yes. And I love it." He pulls you in for another kiss. "We need to get back and check on Kris. I need to make sure we didn't overload her."

"Overload?"

"Yeah, too much energy at once. It can make her go blind or deaf… Why did she do that? She should know better than to fuck with me… my race is known for our primal sides…"

"Then let's go."

The two of you return back through the portal back to the conference room. Groff and Kris were getting dressed when you appeared. Mack runs over to Kris and frets over her, asking if she was able to see, hear, taste, smell, etc. She confirms that it was a hell of a feeding and she knew better then to do that again. Kris explains that she knew your bond with each other was strengthened but she never guessed it was by this much. You release a breath you didn't know you were holding when you found out she was alright. Kris apologizes but asks if you could do this again sometime in a more controlled setting. Groff laughs and Mack lets her know that he would consider it. You roll your eyes and walk out the door. On the other side were a lot of soldiers standing with their jaws dropped open. You could only guessed what they heard. Kris walks out and says something cute to make them all blush. You chuckle and follow as you head towards the mess hall.


	62. Chapter 62

Chapter 62

Preparations and Portals

You see Rick talking to a small group in the mess hall and walk over, walking right against him and holding on tight. Rick wraps his arms around you and kisses you on the forehead. Rick was always up to cuddling and you appreciated this more then anything. He continued talking to the group as if you had never even latched on. Rick slows his talking after a while when he notices that you are not saying anything.

"Babe, are you alright?"

"Thinking… worried… I dunno. I keep thinking of these horrible situations…"

"Like what?" Mack walks up to the group and asks. Rick turns to see him with you still wrapped in his arms. You turn around to look at Mack; Rick just continues to hold you from behind, his chin on your shoulder.

"When I go in to face Kat'Rin, I want to be alone. If there are Ricks ready for a fight, I need you guys to take them out. But she must be left to me. I am afraid that she might sense the bond with you… if she does, she will know instantly that she can bond with other men. If this happens, it will be a matter of moments before she takes control. She has been working on mastering her powers and control over Ricks for a hell of a lot longer than me."

"Shit… didn't think of that…" Scar Rick replies from your side. "She will be able to move quickly with her power if she ever finds out."

"Then we must make sure that this doesn't happen." Mack looks to you. "Dean and I will handle any Ricks that might be near her. Be careful when dealing with her Tess."

"Yeah, I know. If she fights, I know what to do. I can take her. But if there is something else up her sleeve, then I'm screwed." You turn back around into Rick's arms, resting your head against his chest and closing your eyes. His warmth surrounds you and provides comfort. Kris walks over and asks to talk with you alone for a minute. You head off to the corner of the room while Rick watches with concern.

"What's up Kris?"

"I felt some things when I was onboard that ship. There are concerns that we need to account for. When getting the captives off the ship, we must take into consideration that we may be dealing with… psychological issues. I felt the repercussions of a bad Rick and what he did to… the girls." Your eyes go large. "Yes. He did things to some of them… sexual things. We need to make sure that the girls are taken to an area away from other Ricks right now. There were even Ricks that I felt needed to be isolated. But that's for later. I've already talked to Mack but didn't give him the full details. Once everyone is safe on board and the fight is over, I will go in and help pick out the ones who have gone through hell."

"Shit… I can't believe a Rick would do that… Would you be able to find him, in case he tries to sneak aboard?"

"Yes. No problem there. His attachment to those girls is dark and sickly… I'll be able to find him." Kris was holding on to herself with a look of disgust across her face. "I would love to deal with him myself… perverted bastard."

"You think Kat'Rin had a say in this?"

"From what I've been told about her by Scar Rick, I don't think so. She seems like the type of woman who gets jealous over ANY woman looking at a Rick. I don't think she would willing allow one to screw another woman besides her. I think this was all him."

"Well, if you find him… He's yours. Deal with him any way you please." Kris nods her head and walks back over to Groff for a large hug. You can see him whisper something into her ear as she blushes, giving him a deep kiss. You silently wonder what would make Kris blush. You walk back over to Rick and into his arms once more. He asks about what was said and you told him that now was not the time. There was just an issue around where to place the captives once they were free. He nods his head and doesn't press the issue. Rick lifts your chin for a kiss and then holds on to you again.

"Alright…" Mack walks back over and lays a hand on your back. "Let's get going guys. We need to strike all at once. Ready all teams and let's get this going. The captives are the priority. We need to get out all innocent lives as quickly as possible." Mack turns to the rest of the room and raises his voice. "This is a new situation we are getting into. All of you need to follow orders and listen to the people in charge of your group. If you are told to engage, then follow through. Let's get in and out asap."

The mess hall is filled with moving bodies, leaving to prepare for the upcoming battle. Many of the soldiers have been in close combat before, many had also seen battles within ships; but for those who were used to planetary fights, this would be difficult. The variables were strange; a lot of different Ricks that could be friend or foe. The soldiers really had to pay attention this time. But you knew that if Mack chose them, they would be able to adjust.

You look up to Rick as he smiles down at you. He is calm, as is Scar Rick to your side. Dean is comforting Beth, letting her know that things will work out fine and that he will make sure Morty is alright. Torren is with Summer, showing her how to work the computer with the schematics on it and how to relay the information. Mack is still barking out orders to the smaller groups; all soldiers gave him full attention. Groff and Kris were getting weapons ready and focused on the next task. You take a deep breath when Rick places a hand against your cheek.

"This will all work out babe. You will make the right decisions. I trust you. I will get out Morty. Trust me. I love you. After this is all over, you and I are going to skip out for a while. I wanna take you to a couple of spots I've been dying to show you. And maybe… something else may happen…" Rick practically purred into your ear.

"Really? Like what?"

"You'll find out later."

"Alright…" you laugh, "I love you too. Actually, I would love some alone time with you. Too much has been going on. I feel too stretched out."

"I bet you do… two threesomes in less then a week… I'd be stretched out too!" Rick chuckles as you roll your eyes and kiss him. Rick pulls you close to him as you feel his bond twist its way around your body. From the back of the room you hear Kris curse at you two. You blush and pull away. Rick curses back at her that next time, he won't stop and Kris replies with a middle finger and a taunt that she will be ready anytime and anywhere. Rick barks out a laugh as the two of you leave to prepare.

As you walk into the main weapons room, you survey the arsenal and find that there are a lot of smaller pieces missing. You grunt under your breath and start complaining about the lack of light weight weaponry. Rick comes up next to you and reminds you that you have your own stock pile at your house. With a smile, you portal out and grab your favorite weapons off the wall. You hand grazes the smallest weapon that Morty first choose. A memory surfaces and you fight back tears. He will be alright, you keep repeating. Taking that weapon off the wall, you return to the ship and walk up to Dean and Mack.

The main hall was filled with the separate groups that were preparing to leave via portal when the time came. Alpha were gathered around Torren and Tattoo Rick, going over last-minute protocols. Beta team was with Scar Rick, loading up on ammo and weapons for their distraction. Charlie team was with Rick as he barked out orders around getting all Mortys out as soon as possible and back on board. You walk over to Dean and Mack as they look over your tactile gear; slots full of knives, smaller light weight weapons and a larger rifle across your back. Your hair was pulled back in a tight braid and you made sure no loose clothing could compromise you. Mack nods his head and calls for everyone's attention.

"Alright. We are all striking simultaneously. Rescue teams get in and get them out and into the holding cells back on board this ship. Distractions need to be large… use the bombs and gas… we want chaos. May the gods run with us." A cheer is chanted among the soldiers and echoed throughout the hall. Several Ricks came forward with their portal guns as you trained yours along the wall. You look over to Rick as he winks and blows a kiss. The sound is given, and all portal guns are fired, creating several green swirls along the wall with one red and purple one. You fire your own and walk through with Mack and Dean.


	63. Chapter 63

Chapter 63

Fight of Flight

As you step through the portal, you see the familiar sight of the throne room laid out before you. Looking to Dean and Mack, you see each with their eyes wide and their jaws open in shock. The same look you probably had on your face. Each scanned the room from the throne to the various lewd photos of various Ricks along the wall. You walk over to the thrown and look behind, shocked not to see anyone in this room. As you look back to the boys, you see two Ricks coming from the back of the room. Both guys look at you, see your face and turn around ready. Mack takes on one Rick while Dean crashes into another. Another Rick grabs you from behind as you instinctually grab him, sending him flying over you shoulder and into the fight with Mack. A snide laugh echoes from behind as you turn around to see Kat'Rin rising from the floor.

"Look who it is? The little plain version of me that was supposed to feed my pets… and here you are."

"Just give up. You're not going to like the outcome of this one."

"Oh please… Don't think I'm completely helpless. Babies?" She snaps a finger as a beast come barreling through the velvet curtains and crashes into you. The monster was at least four feet long and five feet high with a massive jaw full of tiny sharp teeth. It's body was covered in a thick black fur that held a natural oil in it. Trying to grip the thing was impossible. You resorted to bringing your feet up along its shoulders to keep it from biting into you. The thing felt like it weighed a thousand pounds as the arms moved to claw at you. A few strikes landed against your legs as you watched the blood splatter against the floor. Pain surged through you but you kept your legs tight, knowing a blow to the body would be more devastating. As you strained against the weight and power of the thing, you reached to your waist to grab the long, serrated blade. Once released, you give one large push with both legs and turn to your side allowing the beast to come back at you. You wait until the creature is along your body as you push the knife upwards and along its belly as the power of the creature rushing against you brings the blade further along its flesh.

The creature wails above you and falls to its side, taking another swing with its massive claws, tearing three slashes along your shoulder. You roll away from the thrashing and dive in with one last thrust to its neck. Turning the blade, you hear another wail and then remain as the fighting stopped and the thing went dead below you. Slowly you steady yourself back on your feet and see that Dean is nowhere in sight and Mack was running out of the room after the group of Ricks he was fighting. The throne room goes silent with just you and Kat'Rin.

"You killed my pet…" She pouted out. "That was mean."

"Boo hoo. Surrender. Call off your Ricks."

"Never slut. You are never going to get my Ricks. They are mine. All mine."

"Then I have no choice." You ready your knife and start to run towards her.

"Oh no. Better not. Wouldn't want this poor Morty to die now, would we…"

"What?" You freeze as she snaps her fingers, calling out a Rick holding a Morty in his arms. The Morty is bound and gagged but looks at you with terrified eyes. On his chest is a devise of some sort; blinking red lights illuminate the poor kid's terror.

"Like what he did? This Rick is truly a smart one. Wanna tell her?"

"Of course, my love. This is a special design of mine. It's a portal device that triggers to a wonderful dimension full of hungry beasts that will rip him apart. It will go off, sucking him into this dimension if Kat'Rin's heart rate escalates. For any reason. So you might want to make sure she's calm. Or else…" He chuckles darkly.

"You bitch…" You whisper out still focusing on the Morty before you. You were too stressed and panicked to see if there was a bond with him. No way of knowing if this was your Morty or not. Like that mattered… to you, a Morty was a Morty. You were not going to let him die.

"Careful… That might just make my heart rate increase. But her, let's make things more interesting…" She walks over to Bomb Rick and grabs him by the front of his pants. Morty is tossed on the floor as he looks in a wide eyed panic at what Kat'Rin is doing. She reaches down into Bomb Rick's pants and pulls out his hard cock. Laughing, she lowers herself to start licking along his length. She looks at you and winks an eye. "This will get my heart pumping." Seconds turn to minutes as you watch in horror as she places him within her mouth and the red lights against Morty start to turn green. He yells against his gag as you take off in a rush towards the boy. Kat'Rin has already started sucking more intensely along his cock as you dive for Morty. All the lights turn green as the two of you are ported to another dimension.


	64. Chapter 64

Chapter 64

Left Behind

You fall through the green blob of the portal into the air, descending at a quick rate. The ground below you is solid with a small dark green pond to one side. You wrap Morty in your arms and twist your body to land first. Your healing should be able to recover from broken bones with time. Morty is yelling in your arms as you brace for impact. The ground comes with a burst, sending shock waves along your spine. Morty rolls off but if fine. Continuing to lay down, you assess your injuries finding no movement below the waist. Spinal injury. You close your eyes waiting for the inevitable pain that comes from the healing. Soon the pain courses through your legs as the spasms wrack your body. Morty is on his knees as he shuffles over to you; concern in his eyes. It seems like forever until the seizures calm and you can move your legs again. Thankfully, no animals came for you.

Sitting up, you rub your back and look at Morty. His gag was still on along with the restraints keeping his arms behind him. You move over to him and remove everything, pulling the vest off of him and placing it on the ground. Morty rubs along his mouth and wrists. This was not your Morty. A sigh escapes; you didn't want him to have to go through all this mess.

"Who… who are y-y-you?" Morty stammers out.

"Tess. Another, kinder version of that bitch back there. I'll get you out of here. Promise." Morty smiles at you.

"Thank you. You, you ran after me. You c-c-came after me. Geez, I, I can't thank you enough." You reach over and pull Morty into your arms. He starts to cry as you hold on tight.

"I know a Morty too. He's a great kid, just like you! Of course I came running after to save you. Now, I'll get us out of here. I have a portal device of my own." You reach around and pull out your device. Cracking your neck, you punch in the coordinates to the ship and look to Morty. He is smiling wide as he regards your device.

"I've never known anyone besides Rick to have one."

"Yeah, I'm extra special. I'm going to take us to the ship that is working on releasing everyone from Kat'Rin's ship."

"Alright." Morty looks around nervously, closing the distance between the two of you.

The sky overhead rumbles with the first sign of a storm moving in. You shake your head and hold out the device. A movement to your left brings your attention. Time slows down. A reptilian creature jumps out of the water, its elongated mouth open as it launches itself towards your outstretched arm. There was no time to react, no time to move. You feel the rows of sharp teeth cut into your arm just below the elbow. You see the blood pour out as the creature snaps the jaws, closing in like a vise. You feel the bone crack and dislodge from the elbow. The monster lands in front of you, your blood flowing down the side of its mouth. Morty rushes over to you and supports you from behind. You can't figure out why yet. With your right hand, you reach for your side pistol and shoot at the creature. The plasma bursts bounce off the rough scales as it slides back into the water.

Looking down, you see only an elbow. Morty has taken off his shirt and was wrapping it around your stump, dark blue staining the yellow fabric. You were in shock. You didn't feel the pain. Morty moves you away from the water and back further along the land. Looking backwards, you see a mountain close by with an opening the two of you could fit through. The thunder rumbles as the sky gets darker. You look at Morty and grab him, pulling him along as you take off to the cave. Your senses are blurring and the world tilts. Shaking your head, you clear the cobwebs, there was no time for this. Morty depended on you. Entering the cave, you pull out a flare, open the cap by stepping on the tip and pulling it out to create an orange glow. No animals inside. No trace of a habitat.

Morty is talking to you. His voice is a blur. You roll a couple of boulders in front of the entrance and sit down next to the opening, listening to the rain falling. The thunder rumbled again as the rain increased. The smell was amazing; you always loved the rain. You close your eyes and drift off. In your dreams, you are chasing after your left arm.

You awake after a couple of hours to a searing pain at your left elbow. Unwrapping the make shift bandage, you see that the skin has closed over the wound. You stare in amazement; you were almost able to feel your hand move. The right hand feels around the edges of the stump, making sure that everything healed over for now. Beside you was Morty, still asleep but twitching from a bad dream. You gently wake him up and he bolts upright, looking at you and then smiling. He checks out the stump and whistles.

"Yeah, I can heal fast. Too bad I can't regenerate the whole arm."

"At least the bleeding was stopped." Morty sounded more confident this morning. "My mom works as a Nurse. She would practice on me at home. I was afraid that you would bleed out and die." You watch as Morty fusses over the area and gathers up the bandages. Realizing that Morty had no shirt, you take off the outer lightweight jacket and place it around him.

"You should have let me know. I could have given you this earlier."

"You fell asleep. With the healing you did on your spine… I, I figured you needed time to heal." Morty said confidently. You were surprised by him. A smile warmed your face as you regard just how amazing a confident Morty could be. "So, what is the next plan?"

"Still the same. Get out of here."

"How? That monster took the portal gun along with your arm."

"Shit. Shit. He was probably going after the light…" You think back to the attack and focus on the falling vest. "We need to retrieve that vest you had on. There was a portal device type of contraption connected to it that could help us out. I can scavenge out the pieces and hopefully use them to portal us home."

"Let me do it then." Morty said. You started to shake your head no. "I have two arms. I outvote you." You chuckle as he rolls the boulders away and walks out carefully.

You watch from the opening and reach around for your rifle. You were able to bring up the weapon and support it along a larger boulder. Your right finger was on the trigger as you watched Morty through the scope. If anything came within view, you would be able to get out at least one shot right away. Morty walked along the ground towards the pond area you landed in. He reached down to retrieve the vest and took off running back to the hole. A sound echoed in the valley from above as you pull your body down, angling the rifle upwards. In the sky was a flying creature with feathers and a large, sharp beak. It had spied Morty and was going in for a dive. You calculated the angle of decent and fired off a shot. The recoil knocked your view away from the scope and you struggled to get the rifle level again to see. Morty came in to view and behind him was the bird, twitching on the ground. Morty dived through the entrance as you rolled the bolder back in place.

"Thanks. I can't believe you did that with one arm!"

"I adapt quickly. This is a first though. I think I might still be in shock, but there really is no time to worry about it. Give the vest to me." You lay it out and look over the parts and power source. As you label all the pieces, you realize that there was, in fact, enough to get a portal up and created. There was also a generation device to input the coordinates. You let out a laugh and explain all this to Morty. He sighs and gives you a hug. "Alright… did you help out your mom a lot?"

"For her training? Yes. Since she was practicing on me all the time, I asked her to teach me as well. I learned about cleaning and dressing wounds, sewing up wounds, taking blood and other vitals."

"Good. Disassembling this is going to be a lot like that. You will have to take apart wires and remove pieces as I tell you. We need to get the equipment needed to make a new portal device. It will only work once with this power source but it will at least get us out of here. I can punch in the coordinates to one place only and then it will implode. Follow my instructions and you will do fine." Morty nods his head and pulls up his sleeves.

When Morty first retrieved the vest, the sun was just starting to peek out through the clouds. By the time you finished picking through the pieces, the darkness returned and the amount of working light was not enough for the intricate work. You brought Morty up against you, telling him to sleep. Slowly you fell asleep too, listening to his steady breathing. Morning hit again and you knew the days on this planet were far shorter than the ones you were used to. With the sun up, assembly resumed. Morty was quick to learn and follow the instructions laid out for him. You praised him throughout the process and smiled warmly when he blushed. The two of you were connecting, much in the same way you connected with your Morty. He liked building things and had steady hands for the intricate work. Before the sun set again, the device was created, the power source attached and the vest closed.

"Now, we have a choice in where we go. 1- we go to my ship or 2- we return to Kat'Rin's ship. I am not sure how much time has passed but time on this planet seems to move faster. If we go back to her, then I can rejoin the fight. If not, then we return to the ship and I find another way to rejoin the fight. This is up to you. I am fine either way."

"Go back to Kat'Rin." His voice was too quiet for you. "She killed my mom. I want to see her finished. I need to know this is over." You stare at him in horror.

"I'm so sorry Morty. Truly." He looks at you, a tear falling and grabs a hold of you. Wiping off his face, he gives you a crooked smile. "Well? Let's go."

"Alright." You place in the coordinates and hold on to the vest and Morty.


	65. Chapter 65

Chapter 65

Return to Sender

You fall through the portal with Morty in your arms. Quickly Morty grabs the vest and throws it towards Kat'Rin who is sitting on her thrown. She yells as Bomb Rick grabs the vest and is instantly turned inside out as the device implodes. Both the vest and Bomb Rick are gone in one horrible instant. Morty falls on his knees, sobbing while you stand up and face Kat'Rin, who is screaming from her throne.

"What the fuck? How dare you? You were supposed to die you bitch! He was my favorite lover! He was mine and mine alone!" She screams out. You take this moment to look around. Dean and Mack were detained within a small black cage to the side of the throne. Several armed Ricks had rifles pointed at the two while watching in horror over what just happened. You take this moment of surprise, reach down for two small knives along your right thigh and throw them at the heads of the two Ricks standing at the cage door. The other two Ricks whip their heads around, bringing up their rifles to point at you. Your right hand reaches behind you to find nothing. Morty raises up in front of you with the rifle in his hand. His grip is unsteady so you drop down to a knee and support him with your right arm, your finger griping the trigger to fire off rounds into the two Ricks. Their fire goes wide, with one plasma burst knocking against Morty's right shoulder. He falls back against you as you cradle him. Dean and Mack burst out of the cage and run over to Morty.

"Is this him?" Mack asks while looking at the stump on your left elbow.

"No, but you need to get him help. Kat'Rin is all alone now. I got her." Mack and Dean didn't move. "Now!" They pick up Morty as you walk over to Kat'Rin. She is backing up against her throne now. You take a moment to savor this fear. "I would clap for your performance… but as you see, I'm shorthanded." You give a wicked grin as she stares at you with large eyes.

"Don't hurt me. I'll give you anything you want."

"Why did you send our race to kill me?"

"What?" She looks at you with confusion. You cock your head.

"Our race appeared on Earth in my dimension and attacked my home. They killed my husband who was protecting me. They started all this. Why did you send them?"

"I didn't. You're not the first to think I did. Never said I didn't… but I didn't. I hate my race. I would kill any if I saw them. Like I did when I destroyed my planet."

"You what?"

"I destroyed my planet. Killed everyone. They were fucked up. Abused the shit out of me and others like me. After I left I met Rick. He loves me. The only one who ever has. So I collect them. Why have just one man who loves you when you can have them all. They all deserve me and I need all of them."

"Wow. That's fucked. Interesting though. So your whole motivation is to collect Ricks like coins?"

"Yeah. So?"

"Wow again." You sighed. You never thought she could be so simple minded. You could have sworn that she sent your race to kill you. If she didn't, then who did? "Ok… if you didn't send in our race, then why did you take my Morty? How did you even know where I was?"

"Your Morty? Oh, do you mean that Morty who appeared through a portal? I just assumed it was a gift from one of my Ricks. Like when you appeared before me. They love giving me gifts." She was trying miserably to make you jealous.

"So, once again, it wasn't you. Then who?"

"Like I said… it was probably a Rick giving me a gift. They love me soooo much." She was staring at you trying to make a point and failing.

"Get over yourself. I don't give a rat's ass." You approach the throne. "It's time to take you back to our ship. You have a lot to answer for."

"You mean you're not going to kill me?"

"I don't like to kill helpless people." You turn around as you hear someone entering from behind. Scar Rick walks up behind you, his pistol trained on Kat'Rin.

"What are you doing Tess?"

"Taking her in." Scar Rick walks next to you and touches your left stump. You shrug your shoulders as he looks to Kat'Rin. An evil smile plays along his lips as he pulls you against him, kissing you deeply. You melt into his arms, allowing his heat to encompass you as you hear Kat'Rin scream out behind you. You know he is doing this on purpose. He was her favorite, her second Rick. Seeing him deep throat another woman was driving her crazy. Scar Rick grabs your ass and squeezes tightly, letting his arousal flood over you as a wave of fire. As he pulls slowly away, he turns his hips towards Kat'Rin, showing off his erect form pressing hard against his pants. Kat'Rin loses it. She starts to scream, running over towards the two of you, talking nonsense as she reaches out to claw Scar Rick.

Scar Rick grabs her wrists and pulls her down to the ground. He stands over her, places a foot along her wrists to pin them down. You look into his eyes and see the anger of a man who had been tortured for far too long. His rage is taking over as her cocks his head regarding the screaming, helpless Kat'Rin squirming on the ground.

"Rick, don't. Don't do this. This isn't you. You may want to kill her, but it won't bring anything back. I won't change things." You talk quietly.

"I don't want anything from the past to change Tess. I want her dead. Then I can move on without having to watch my back any longer. Then I can help out the others who have been tortured by her." His voice was smooth.

"I'm not sure I agree." You look down at Kat'Rin. She was far too quiet for your tastes. Before, with you she was begging and now she is quiet. Scar Rick slowly turns to look at you and then back at her. Quickly he pulls out a knife from your left side and pulls Kat'Rin up by the hair, slashing the knife along her throat. You yell out as you stare at your face, your blood, your death. But it wasn't you now, was it. As the body droops lifelessly, Scar Rick drops the body and retrieves a device from her hand. You hadn't seen it.

"Remote. Warning others to come to her aide. Probably on their way now. Trust me, they won't fight when they see her dead." Scar Rick walks over to you and lifts your chin. You look in his eyes. "I know you don't agree with this. But it was never your decision. I'm sorry." Scar Rick turns to walk away. He meets the Ricks as they storm through the room. One look at Kat'Rin's dead body and they drop their guns. Some fall to their knees, crying out that they were finally freed from her. Others just closed their eyes, asking when they could go home. You turn around and see the looks on each of their faces. And then you realized, it never was your decision.

You walk over to Scar Rick and place your arm around him from behind. He grabs it and turns you around in his arms, silently crying.

"I thought you were going to hate me." He whispers out.

"Hate? Such a strong word. Watching myself die will take some time to forget. But you were right. It was your decision." He lifts your chin and kisses you. You pull against him and make it last longer. As he pulls away, a smile plays on his lips.

"What happened to your arm?"

"Dinner for an animal." Scar Rick stares at you in disbelief. He barks out laughter and walks you out of the room. Once again, you avoid the pool of blood that is covering the ground. Another nightmare.


	66. Chapter 66

Chapter 66

Fallout

As you return to the ship, you hear snippets from others on how well the attack went. It was the best option to all strike at once; there was little real resistance. The Ricks were caught off guard and no one could come up with an acceptable defense. Rescue efforts went smoothly and now all Beths, Summers, Mortys and Ricks were in holding rooms to be sorted out and dealt with. Kris was in charge of helping out with the Beths and Summers. Apparently she could see a sickly thread that extended from them if they were sexually abused by that Rick. You take a deep breath and decide to check in on the Morty that you had saved.

Walking in to the infirmary, you notice that there was not a lot of wounded. Mainly scrapes and scratches. This told you that either the fight went very well and no one got hurt, or all casualties resulted in death. You see one bed in the back with Morty laying in it. As you walk over, you see the bandages across his right shoulder. He gives you a smile and holds out his hand to you. Grabbing it, Morty pulls you closer as you lean down and give him a hug. You sit on the side of his bed and hold his hand.

"How are you doing?" You ask him while looking over his bandage.

"I'm fine, stop worrying. I checked my medical records. Expected to make a full recovery." Morty winks at you and you smile.

"Smart ass. Just because you learned a few things from your mom doesn't mean you're an expert."

"Well, I plan on becoming one. I learned a lot more because she was struggling. I found myself more interested in medicine then anything at school. Rick helped me too. My Rick is a doctor. He was proud that the two of us were so interested in the field."

"Wow. Never met a doctor Rick. You… um… know where he is?" You ask quietly. Morty lowers his head.

"Dead too. Pissed Kat'Rin off too much. From what I heard, he was immune to her powers." Your eyes open wide.

"What about your sister?"

"Sister? Never had one." Your mouth drops open. "The other Mortys talked about theirs… mom always told me she lost her first kid before childbirth. Complications with the pregnancy. She wanted to have another right away but dad made her wait. When they had me, she became almost obsessed with keeping me safe. Dad couldn't handle it and left us. Rick moved in and she started talking to him about being a nurse. Then I decided to help as well. Now that's all gone. All of them…" Morty starts crying as you lean over to hold him again. Your heart was breaking. He didn't deserve this. None of his family did.

"Do you want to try and find your dad?"

"No!" Morty pulled away, angry. "No. I do not ever want to see that man again. He just left us. No warning, no apologies, nothing." You can feel the pain in his voice.

"Alright. Alright." You wipe off the tears on his face as Morty grabs your stump. "Would everyone stop it? I'll get a replacement mechanical one later. I'm not worried, so no one else should be." Morty chuckles as your Beth, Summer and Morty walk in. All three take turns giving you hugs, asking about your missing arm and meeting Morty. For the sake of argument, you told him that his new nickname was Nurse Morty; he loved that. You let the family know about his predicament and Beth interrupts.

"He stays with us. End of story." Beth crosses her arms as Summer nods. "We have room. And you are family." Morty nods his head too.

"Beth, are you sure?" You ask quietly.

"Yes. I am a mother, and I know that if something happened to me, I would want my dad to help find another Beth to take care of my kids. I am the best replacement for me." She smiles wide as Summer and Morty roll their eyes. Rick walks up from behind.

"Don't lose an arm jerking yourself off daughter. Just look at Tess…" He chuckles as Beth leans back against him. "I think it's a good idea if the family wants to. Just… just don't expect me to coddle you."

"No. Of course not. I really just want to continue to study to be the nurse my mom wanted to be. I think she would like that. Thank you so much for taking me in." Morty reaches out to Beth and holds on to her tight. "You guys will have to take it easy on me for a while. Never had siblings."

"Wow… yeah, it's like totes difficult. Morty is a bastard and I'm a bitch on my best days. You'll love it." Summer giggles as Nurse Morty smiles wide.

"Well… now that that's settled… Tess, I need you now." Rick said.

You follow Rick out of the room while the family gets better acquainted. You can hear Morty laughing about having a twin brother. Once outside the room, Rick grabs a hold of your upper arm and whispers to you.

"There is a situation that Kris needs help with. She has separated the Beths and Summers that have had… interactions… with that bastard Rick. The problem, is that she's not sure they can deal with going back to their family. They are damaged. I have a solution though… I created a device that can erase memories. Used it before. No side effects. No accidental recall of the erased memory either. I… I can do this… but I need help."

"Wow. Yeah. I think it's a great idea if they are not able to move on with what happened to them. Did you talk to Kris?"

"Yeah… she's all for it too. Why remember something like this?"

"Alright. Let's go."

You and Rick head down the hallway towards the area Kris was keeping the damaged girls. There is another room next door that Rick was going to use for wiping the memories. He left to retrieve the devise as you walked into the other room. Kris was in there talking to some of the girls. You could see that they were in a bad way. Some refused to talk while others jumped at any sudden movement. One Beth flat out said she would never accept another Rick and that she would kill him if she saw him again. Kris looked to you with a sad expression. Whatever that bastard Rick did, it was twisted. The scars ran deep. You walk up to Kris and let her know what the plan was.

One by one, starting with the least reactive, you brought them in to the other room to sit in a chair. Rick came in with his head lowered and his eyes staring downward. His hands were brought out to his sides as a show of submission. He talked very soft and calm to each of the girls when they were brought in. He explained what the device was for and what it would do. Rick asked each of their permission first. Every one of them agreed. No one wanted to live with the memory of what their father/grandfather did to them. One by one you brought each in, a shattered mess; one by one you led them out, each standing tall and asking about their family with a smile. Kris let you know that even the sickly threads coming off each were gone.

After the last girl was taken care of, Rick lets you know that he needed some time alone and that Kris needed to talk to you anyway. You watch Rick walk away, his shoulders hunched over. After talking to Kris, you had to go and check in on him. As you walk up to Kris, you see Mack and Dean yelling in angry voices.

"What the fuck! Let me have him Mack. Let me deal with him! I will fucking beat his ass within an inch of his motherfucking life and then torture the shit out of him." Dean was yelling. You walk up and quietly listen in.

"Dean, we need to deal with this together. We will separate him and detain him. We will find a suitable punishment. Trust me…" Mack looks over to you. "Kris found the Rick who fucked those girls up. He was trying to sneak off."

"Yeah" Kris continues, "He was in with the other Ricks trying to act like he belonged with them. I could see those sickly black threads cascading around him. We have him identified and two soldiers are keeping a discrete eye on him."

"Dean. Let us contain him first. Then I'll bring you in to help." Mack replies.

"I'll let you guys handle this one without me. I don't want to see him. If he talks to me, I'll lose my shit and kill him. I'll be checking in on Rick. He helped clean all the girls' memories but I think it all got to him." You give Mack a hug and Dean a kiss on the cheek. You trusted that these two would do what was appropriate.

Walking away, you hear Mack bark out orders for containing the Rick. You let out an evil smile as you walk towards the mess hall. You see Rick hunched over the counter, a tall drink in his hand. He looks like shit as you sit next to him.

"Here." He hands you a metallic disk that you slap on below the elbow. The device digs in and extends to create a makeshift metallic arm with hand. You move the hand a bit, noticing the smoothness and fast response. "It's not perfect. Y-y-you can… URRP… figure out the, the rest…"

"Thanks babe. Let's get out of here." You help him stand and create a portal to your base. Once inside, you lower him on the couch.

"Booze." Rick extends his hand. You walk into the kitchen and retrieve a bottle, placing it in his hand. "Thanks."

"Yeah, no prob. Stay here and don't pass out. Going to make us something special in my lab… we need it." Rick pulls you down for a deep kiss, laced with cheap whiskey. "Nice, lover."

"I-I-I don't wanna be just… just a, URRP, lover babe. I… I wanna be more…" Rick stumbles out. You give him a large smile and kiss him again.

"Wait here."


	67. Chapter 67

Chapter 67

Movement

You walk down to your lab and prepare a nice concoction that will put his mind at ease. You put the powders into a pill form and make sure to add in a little extra for him. When you return, you see him flipping through channels, working on a second bottle of whiskey you didn't know you had. "Where did you get that?"

"Stash."

"Stash? Here?"

"Yep."

"Bastard… I needed that a couple of days ago." Rick belches out an unrecognizable response. You straddle him on the couch as he stares directly at your breasts. Taking out the pills, you place one in his mouth and one in yours. Both of you take swigs and Rick closes his eyes, leaning backward.

"Thanks babe. This is going to be sweet. I trust your mixes babe, I-I-I really… URRP… do." You smile at him, waiting for the reaction to hit him. Then it does. He opens his eyes and stares at you, a wide smile curling along his lips. "Fuck… this shit is goooooood."

"There we go… Yours is stronger. Some stuff that you said was extinct in your dimension. This shit's good for zoning out. Enhances the senses too." Rick grabs a hold of your hips to pull you against him nice and tight. He is already hard against you.

"Babe… can you dance for me? Sing too? Strip? I wanna see your… your body move…" Rick extends his arms along the back of the couch as you get up. A blush passes along your face. "What's wrong? N-n-never asked to do that?"

"No. You know that I don't like the whole limelight on me. But for you… I will do anything you desire." You walk over to the fake fireplace and light it up. The room lights are dimmed and the television turned off. You can see Rick smile in the firelight.

"Be careful what you promise… babe. I'll, I'll hold you to it. Make you… make you fuck me real hard one… one day. Get you screaming, my, my name baby. Mark that sweet ass as mine… fucking bite that, that skin…" Rick was almost growling out each word as he watched you walk around the room, preparing.

"Fuck Rick. Talking dirty… shit, that's a first…" you say the last under your breath. Rick tilts his head.

"What the fuck? Never? Shit babe, I'll do this more often than…"

You shake your head and walk over to your stereo system, flipping through pre-recorded songs that you created a long time ago. There are a couple that were written recently, inspired by him that were perfect for dancing to. When you find the selection, you look back to see how Rick was doing. He was eager for you to start. A large grin spread as you slowly walk back to the center of the room. The music starts with a strong bass rhythm. It was something you heard Rick messing around with during the first week of meeting him. His eyes focus on you as he winks. You look away and focus on the music. Once again, the body sways as the tempo builds, guitar and drums added in to stir the senses. Eyes close as you allow the music to seduce you. There were times on stage that you wanted to let go with the music, but you were afraid of what you might do. Now you had this rare moment in a secluded area with a man you trusted to do whatever you wanted to.

The first verse comes along a sweet bass line as it builds and increases in volume. The words are not what you are paying attention to this day. You sing what you sing. The dance is what you play around with; allowing your hands to move, caress, and stroke areas that were aroused by pitch, beat or chorus. The music was always within you, around you. Each person you had ever came in contact with held their own song, their own rhythm. And today this song was your rhythm. Your body twisted and turned; hands removing clothing with slow movements. There were times you could hear Rick commenting, his heat tumbling towards you, urging you to continue. Soon, his heat mixed in with the music as you gasped in pleasure. The mixture was sending you over the edge as your hands run along your body, fingers finding their way to sensitive areas to stroke.

Rick was pressed against you after one particular verse was uttered. His hands searching your body, taking over the movements and stroking. His body moved with yours while your eyes were still closed. At some time during the dance, Rick had removed his clothing as well, his hard member pressing along your legs. Rick drops down to the floor as you lift your arms into the air. His hands grip your ass as he brings you up against his mouth. His tongue quickly darts out to stroke along you as you lower your hands; one rakes along his hair as the other helps to pull back one wall to allow him better access. When your left hand touched the skin, you sigh as the cold metal gentle grips your skin. Even though you willed it, the sensation was still new, the touch foreign. It excites you as Rick moves his tongue deeper within, pulling out to suck along your tip. One finger moves within as you yell out for more.

Rick turns you towards the couch then pushes you backward. The moment you land, Rick is on top of you, kissing downward and spreading your legs. He is talking dirty again, telling you all the things he was going to do and everything he wanted you to do to him. You blush, not used to this type of foreplay. Rick chuckles as he pulls your hips out and goes down on you to suck, bite along the edges and place three fingers deep within you to find your favorite spot. The music is still swirling around the room along with his fire. It feels like the two have created a pact to drive you crazy tonight. Or it's the drugs… either way, you can almost feel the fire caress along your arms, moving them up along the couch, slithering along your spine to pull it farther away from the back of the couch. The movement is welcomed by Rick with an increase in all sensations. You start to scream for him to continue when everything stops.

"I didn't say you could cum yet… You wait for permission babe, or I'll punish you." His voice was deep, sickly sweet as you stare into his eyes. Your heart pounds hard within your chest at this new Rick in front of you. "Now, say yes sir…"

"Yes… sir." You whisper back as he smiles.

"Good girl." Rick rises along your body, sucking the skin in to gently bite a few areas which rewards him with a gasp from your mouth. "Not what I was looking for… now I need to punish you. You moan or scream, babe. And only when I tell you to. So… you better scream…" His voice was wicked and you loved it.

"Yes sir…" You breathe out as he curses. Grabbing your hips, Rick tugs at your hips as he takes in a mouthful of your skin along your side and bites down hard. You arch your back and scream out in pleasure. Biting was always something only Mack did, and you loved it. Rick responds in kind by continuing to stroke you with his fingers, causing small convulsions to begin.

"Fuck girl… if I knew you liked this… fuck…" Rick raises up and flips you suddenly. Your knees are on the couch now and your hands support you by gripping on the back. Rick is at your ass, both hands gripping and separating. You look back and see stern eyes meet yours. "No you don't. If you look… I'm not going to please you. What do you say?"

"Yes sir…" You smile and look forward. You close your eyes and focus on the music and his heat swirling around you. Once again his heat is spilling down your legs, urging them to separate a bit further. You comply as Rick starts to kiss along your ass, squeezing areas to bite into, hard enough to leave marks. A moan escapes as he lets you know you are being a good listener.

Both hands separate your cheeks as Rick uses his tongue to circle around the sensitive skin. You gasp suddenly having never experienced this before. His tongue darts within and then returns to swirl around. The sensations are new and arousing. One of his hands circle around to start playing along you. The other hand keeps one cheek spread so he can continue his ass play. The tongue is amazing as it dips in and licks in circles and up and down. You rock against his fingers as he continues for a moment longer. Then one finger dips within as he licks the top. You cry out, arching your back to the sensations along your ass and his fingers darting around from below. Two fingers enter from below as two enter from above. Rick sighs after playing around a bit longer and then removes himself.

"You… you like that?"

"Yes… oh gods yes. Never… had that happen before." You say between breathes.

"Oh fuck… glad I did it. There's more I can teach you too babe." You feel his weight added to the couch as he presses you against the back of the couch. His dick is pressed against your ass as he spreads it open and enters. At first he slides in slowly and stops. You beg him for more as he chuckles and complies. The rhythm he creates echoes the music as he pumps in and out of you. Reaching down, he plays along your tip, circling and dipping within as you cry out. His breathing is quickening as well before he exits, cursing suddenly. "Shit, this stuff is almost too good babe. Gotta pace this." You let out a chuckle as Rick lowers himself below you.

You are still on your knees on top of the couch but you could feel his tongue below you, licking and sucking. You spread out your legs, lowering yourself closer to his face as it rested along the seat of the couch. His voice comes out gruff as he orders you to sit on top and ride his face. Again, another blush forms but you have learned to follow direction now. There was a possibility that he would end this position if you didn't follow through. You lean back and position yourself along his mouth, looking down to see wild eyes. He opens up and you watch as he envelops you, working his tongue and teeth. The moments of pain send shockwaves through your body as you scream out and start moving your hips. Rick's hands grip your sides tightly as he assists with the motions. The flow of sensations builds until his fire pours inside you, burning you along your spot inside and you scream as you orgasm. Rick continues to suck as you feel the true release spill out and into him.

You lift yourself off, catching you breathe as Rick laughs below you. He lets you know how fucking hot that was and how sweet you tasted to him. You watch him as he raises himself off and leans towards you for a kiss. You instantly grab him along the back of his neck and grip his hair, pulling him hard against your mouth as you open it wide to suck in his tongue. Rick is groaning as he positions you to lay along the couch. As the kiss continues, he shoves himself within you as you cry out against his mouth. Rick now takes his turn to suck your tongue within his mouth and then moves to your lower lip. As he grinds against you harder and harder, Rick bites down on that lip and your body instantly spasms. Your back arches as Rick pounds against you with more speed.

Legs wrap around Rick's waist as he lifts you up and pushes your ass against the arm of the couch. The hard surface supports the pounding as you feel him press against the back of you and rub against the spot. His fire circles his dick creating a heat as he moves along, each push building the heat. You dig your fingers into his back as you scream out for him to push faster. The speed increases as he yells out above you, his eyes closing and his lips twisting as he cums. The orgasm follows quickly as you feel yourself becoming tighter with each push of himself within you. Rick swears out loudly as you scream and orgasm again, pushing out his now flaccid dick. He pulls your body against his and moves you lower along the couch so you can lay down. Rick lays on top and rolls to his side, wrapping his arms and legs around you. You breathe out and wrap yourself along him as well. Sleep welcomes you first as you drift off listening to his heart.


	68. Chapter 68

Chapter 68

Closure

The next day brings everyone together for departures and plans. Now, with Kat'Rin disposed of, Scar Rick has taken control of her ship and has plans for delivering families to their proper places and finding any rogue Ricks who may have escaped. He assured you that he would keep in contact and would always be on the lookout for other Kat'Rin's that may present themselves. You felt sad to see him leave but knew it was the best decision; no one else would be able to rally the Ricks together.

"I'll miss you." You grab a hold of Scar Rick tightly. He pulls your chin up and kisses you, gabbing your ass and groaning against you.

"Fuck girl… going to make me regret this decision. I'm not far away. I can port to you whenever you need a real lover…" You see him glare at Rick who snorts back at him. Laughing, you rest your head against his chest and take a moment to listen to the heart beat. "I love you." Whispers into your ear as you pull away slowly.

"You too. Stay safe." Fighting back tears, you watch as he boards his ship with the rest of the Ricks. The bond with Scar Rick was still strong even though his distance was increasing. You reminded yourself that he was never truly far away.

Mack, Dean, Groff, Kris, and Torren gathered in the Smith house after seeing Scar Rick off. Beth and the kids were listening to the group talking about their next plans. Everyone remained quiet when they heard about the new destination in another dimension.

"Another dimension?" Beth says quietly.

"Yeah," answers Mack, "there is a dimension that has been overrun by the galactic federation. There are a lot of planets in trouble who have been asking for help and receiving none. In this dimension, the federation destroyed the planets that they viewed unfit for life, which means any planet that does not produce materials they need. We are freedom fighters. We go where help is needed." He sounds matter of fact. You smile up at him as he talks, drawn to his words. Those people in that dimension were going to get one hell of an ally soon. Mack looks over the Beth and smiles softly. "I know you must be worried."

"It's just… such a long way… away…" Beth looks at Dean. "I mean, we just met… and I was hoping…"

"That he could stay?" Mack asked silently.

"Yeah…" Beth looks down as you see Dean looking hopefully at Mack.

"Dean?"

"I would love that chance Mack…" Dean replies.

"Good. We were trying to find a way to get rid of you!" Torren answers loudly with a huge laugh at the end. Everyone starts to laugh as Beth rushes over to Dean, kissing him.

"Thank you! Thank you!" Beth repeats as she holds on to Dean. Summer and Morty grab a hold of him too. Nurse Morty is sitting on the edge of the family couch, not sure what was going on. You smile at him and wink.

"Then it is settled. Dean, hold down the fort here. Rick has created interdimensional communication devices in case something happens. Tess…" Mack walks over to you, holding on to the side of your face and pulling you against his chest. "I hate to leave you…" He leans in close to your ear and whispers so only you could hear; "I will stay if you ask."

"I would never ask." You reply and pull him in for a kiss. "You are the best at what you do. I love that about you. Besides, it's not like I'm going anywhere now. You know where to find me." Mack chuckles as he looks towards Rick.

"Keep an eye on this one. She's feisty."

"You know I will." Rick winks. "Even if I have to tie her to the bed…"

"Fucker… now I want to stay…" Mack chuckles as you hit him on the shoulder. "Until we meet again, my queen." Mack pulls your hand up to lay a gentle kiss against it.

"Still not going to tell me?" A quick shake of the head and an evil smile from Mack lets you know the answer. _No time soon…_ Everyone says their goodbyes as the gang leaves through a portal. Dean looks at the empty space and back at Beth.

"I'm all yours now." He pulls her in for a gentle kiss as Rick coughs loudly.

"None of that in front of me. I had to endure with Jerry… don't force this on me." Rick groans. Beth giggles and punches Rick on the shoulder.

"Dad… stop it."

"Nurse Morty..." you turn and look towards him sitting on the edge of the couch. The family joins you, each with warm smiles. "Welcome to the family. I'm sure living arrangements will be worked out. But if there is anything you might want the family to know… now is the best time…" You look at him, head dipped down. There was definitely something; you just hoped he had enough courage to let them know himself. You knew for a while now.

"Morty?" Beth started. "You can tell us anything honey. You are a part of this family now."

"I know." He looks down and starts messing with slight tear in his pants. "My Rick is dead, my Beth is dead and I never had a Summer in my life. I don't know where my dad is and I don't care. Life was hard. Where I grew up, there wasn't any opportunities for women. That's why my mom could only be a nurse. Women could not become doctors. _I_ wanted to become a doctor. So… my mom helped me change. I'm a girl, actually." The family stand still, in shock.

"I thought so." Beth is the first to talk. "I know my son… even the other dimensional ones… but you felt different. Glad my instincts were somewhat right." Beth walks over to put arms around her.

"My name is Morticia." She cries into Beth's arms. Morty and Summer join around as they all hold on.

"That's a… stupid name." Adds Rick. The family stops and all looks at him. "What? It _is_ … like _Morty_ … who names their kid after a Jewish comedian? And now _Morticia_? What the fuck sweetie?" Beth stares with her mouth wide open. You are trying to hold back a giggle. Morticia, bursts into laughter.

"That's what my Rick always said!" She gets out in between breaths. Morty rolls his eyes while Summer groans. "Oh my god, it is so good to hear that!" She runs over to Rick, holding onto him. Rick actually smiles and holds her back.

"Never worry baby. I will always treat you like shit… just like the other two." Rick looks up at you and winks.

"Well, now you really are a member of the family. Welcome to them." Morticia backs away from Rick and gives you a big hug.

"When did you know?"

"Knew the moment I met you." You smile at her. She squints her eyes and stares. "Naw… I checked your medical records when you were recovering…" Morticia giggles and Beth rolls her eyes. You squeeze her back and leave her to the family. Quickly they start fussing over her, letting her know that this dimension was way different and she no longer had to hide. Morticia seems relieved and asks Beth and Summer to take her shopping for girl clothes.

"Come on Rick…" You pull him away from the family and into the garage. Rick opens up a portal to your place. Once inside, Rick goes straight to your room and packs a bag with clothing for both.

"What's going on?" A sly smile plays along your lips.

"I'm taking you out on the trip I told you about. We… we need a vacation babe. Someplace warm… where you can wear practically nothing…" He holds up the string bikini and smiles. Rolling your eyes you help pack up, knowing he would only pack the sexy stuff and not the essentials.


	69. Chapter 69

Chapter 69

Paradise

As you step through the portal, the first thing you notice is the smell of the ocean air and the bright glare of the sun as it shines against the water. You instantly relax, dropping the luggage and taking in a deep breath. The sand beneath you was a pale blue with the ocean water rushing up in an emerald green. The sound of crashing waves carries over Rick's voice as you start mindlessly walking towards the ocean. You kick off your shoes and walk barefoot against the waves until they lap against your ankles. Other than the waves, there is little else to distract you from the sound of the ocean. Looking to your left, you see Rick walk up with a similar smile on his face. His shoes are off too…

"Beautiful." You sigh out.

"Yep. No one else is here. There's a… a hut nearby. Just us babe."

"Just us…"

A week passes with just Rick as your companion. It felt like heaven to be so close to him every day; not worrying about who was after you or what crazy thing was going to blow up next. Rick was enjoying it too. He barely drank and spent most of the time on his guitar, working out songs with you. The portal gun came in handy for food runs and booze trips, but the rest of the time was to catch up on each other's lives. The nights were hot and long… the days were short and sweet. On the last day, the two of you decided to go for a night swim in the ocean. The current was calm and the stars were bright. Cool waters met your body as you ran into the water, Rick close behind. Splashes were exchanged along with laughter. While in his arms, Rick pulls you to lay along the shore, the gentle waves lapping up against your legs. He pulls back a thick strand of wet hair and smiles while watching you. Curious, you cock you head and narrow your eyes.

"Uh oh. What's going on?" You say, thick with sarcasm.

"Does something have to be wrong? Can't I just enjoy the gorgeous view before we head back to 'domestic bliss' in the former Smith house?"

"Ha! You said 'former'. You admit it then." You giggle.

"Yes… I admit that the house is no longer plagued by Jerry…" Rick rolls his eyes avoiding the actual question. He liked Dean. He would never admit it though. "I… I've been trying to plan out crap in my head."

"Oh no. I knew it. You're dumping me."

"Would you shut up for a moment?" He tickles you as you wiggle under him. "When we get back, I'm still planning on leaving a lot with Morty."

"Yep."

"And the family will be doing their own thing now…"

"Yes."

"And that leaves you to do what?"

"Well, I was planning on exploring myself. Going out and seeing other dimensions, meeting new races; just exploring. I never really got to do that. I was always told where to go and when to leave. Now I'm in control. Why? Did you think I was going to mope around in the lab waiting impatiently for you to return?"

"I was hoping…" You hit Rick. "Ouch! No, really I wanted you to feel like you could do your own thing babe. I don't want you to be tied to me. Like that… you know… where you feel you can't leave… and explore…" He was rambling now. You raise up to kiss him while he presses you back down against the sand. "Thanks."

"I'm still yours Rick. I know things are different now. Now I know what I am capable of… and what guys are capable of… and… yeah. Through it all, through all the bond shit… you are my Rick. I love you. I will always return to you. Always."

"As you are mine. Marked you a while ago…" Rick leans down to gently bite along the flower tattoo. You giggle again as he fake growls against you. "Just remember who marked you first, alright babe?"

"What does that mean?" You rest your hands below your head and stare up at him. The moons light made his hair seem to glisten.

"Mack. I marked you first…" Rick stares at you completely serious.

"This again? I don't even know what it means, yet you two do, and I'm here in the middle confused. I know you marked me first. I didn't even remember the majority of my relationship with Mack until the bond was fully released. But I know you… Are you worried?"

"No. He made me his second so I'm not."

"What does that mean?" You were becoming flustered around this topic.

"That it's all good."

"Then why do you keep bringing it up?"

"Because…" Rick reached behind his back and pulled out a piece of cloth that had a leather string wrapped around it. "I want you to have this." He gives you the cloth and you work at the knots until Rick curses and rips it open. You laugh and shake your head. Then, in the middle of the torn fabric, lays something that makes your heart stop. A simple gold ring; nothing fancy, no jewels, no design on the outside. Inside the ring was a string of numbers and letters indicating his dimension. A hand covers your mouth as you stare up at him. Tears are starting to pool in your eyes as he rolls his.

"Rick?" Your voice was shaky.

"Oh come on… Don't get all… all sentimental on me babe. It's just a ring for fuck's sake. With my dimension, by the way. Now you can't get lost. Wear it on whatever finger you choose… I don't care. Just don't get lost. And always come back." Rick was sitting up now, running a hand through his hair trying to look elsewhere as your tears fell. You sit up and place the ring on your wedding finger. It fit perfectly. You give him an evil look and he chuckles. "Oh look. It fits…"

"Fucker! You wanted it to fit there…"

"Happy coincidence. At least it will stop some guys…"

"You mean Mack?" You look at him through your peripheral to see him smirk.

"Honestly. You know how I feel about marriage. So you know this isn't it. But… like I said… you come home. Come home to me."

"I will." A slender hand comes up to caress your face as gentle kisses are laid along your lips and jawline. A deeper kiss is followed. Suddenly Rick stands up and offers you a hand. You take it as he starts to walk you back to the hut. A smile creeps along your face as you hear the beach go silent. You both stop. Both heads turn skyward.

In the distance is a large ship with the same bulbous outline of the ones that invaded your old neighborhood. Your blood freezes as the events slowly unfold. Rick pushes you to the side as a blast explodes against the sand. Rick is running for the hut where all your crap is as you turn back and see smaller ships take to the sky. The riders are illuminated in the duel moons glow and you see the green and black uniforms. All soldiers are carrying the massive weapon you saw turn your ex into ash along the grass. You can't move from the scene, willing it to go away, hoping it is just another nightmare. Another blast blows hot sand against your face as you lift yourself up and start the run towards the hut. Behind you, a ship lands and a strong female voice is heard yelling out into the night. The language is foreign, but familiar. You pause for a moment to listen; 'like your mother…' is what you can decipher.

You turn around to face the intruder as you see the mass of molten metallic blast exit the weapon. Again, time stops. The same blast is coming at you again. You can hear Rick yelling behind you. The world slows to heartbeats.

Beat one, you turn around to see Rick screaming and motioning for you to drop down; you knew there was no time.

Beat two, you smile at him knowing there was no way you would allow the blast to hit him.

Beat three, you see him bring up the portal gun and fire it below you. Your eyes flare wide as you scream.

Beat four, you fall through the portal. Always falling it seems.

*Chapter 69... I fucked you. Please look for my second book, When No One Is Around.


End file.
